Europe Colonies

d govern and be governed. Unlike the very powerful parliament in Britain and monarchies in most of Europe, the colonies developed a highly democratic mindset which thrived from isolation of Old Worlds' interest. As early as 1620, North America's soil has already witnessed what would be "precedent for [the] later written constitutions" called the Mayflower Compact. Soon, town meetings arose in communities of New England, plantations down South and a blend of the two in the Middle colonies. Virginia, where Jamestown was settled, experienced the first legislative body known in the New World- the House of Burgesses. This form of representative self-government, though its decision was subject to veto, highlights the limited-monarchy already present in the premature colonies. Another bases for modern democracy was found in very religious New England where spiritual leaders could not hold office, a foundation for the separation of church and state. These ideals were left untouched for so long that during the eve of Revolution, involvement of Great Britain and its parliament left colonists appalled and offended. By 1766, Americans have already felt separate, though not quite completely independent from Great Britain, that they believe there is not "a single Trait of Resemblance between [Britain]… and growing people spread a vast quarter of the globe". 

Despite the fact that the colonies agree on their differences with their mother country, they were certainly not a united front before and even some time after the Revolution. Through all the differences within the colonies and the natural barriers which fence certain groups from one another, cultural collision was bound to happen when the time arose for the colonies to unite. This was most apparent during the French and Indian war when the colonies failed to show any cooperation to defend itself from attacks. In a desperate attempt to achieve colonial unity, the intercolonial congress in Albany, New York was summoned by the British government headed by Benjamin Franklin. Franklin contributed a well-devised scheme for colonial home rule but was denied by the colonists proving Franklin's observation: "all people agreed the need for union but… were perfectly distracted when they attempted to agree on details". In his Pennsylvania Gazette, Franklin published an infamous cartoon showing the eventual outcome of disunity within the colonies- separation of parts which make a body whole. By 1754, the colonists showed to some extent a kind of unity but again, their differences were too much to overcome at that point. Later on closer to 1776, colonist began to come together for a common goal- their resentment of Parliament taxing without colonial approval. During a rebellion against the much hated tea act, notorious Boston suffered severe punishment from parliament; these acts were called the "Intolerable Acts" that closed Boston's harbors, town