19 Plymouth Agreement, November 15, 1636
A brief, powerful statement of popular sovereignty—inserted later into the Pilgrim Code of Law [20].
20 Pilgrim Code of Law, November 15, 1636
Not really a code of law but a political covenant/compact that looks like and serves as a true constitution.
The agreement that established Dedham’s town government.
22 The Massachusetts Body of Liberties, December 1641
Important code of law that contains most of the rights in the U.S. Bill of Rights, at least eight of which originate here.
23 The Combination of the Inhabitants upon the Piscataqua River for Government, October 22, 1641
A political compact resting town government on popular sovereignty.
24 Massachusetts Bicameral Ordinance, March 7, 1644
The first explicit creation of a bicameral legislature.
25 Massachusetts Ordinance on the Legislature, November 13, 1644
An ordinance altering the size and mode of electing the legislature.
26 The Laws and Liberties of Massachusetts, 1647
A codification of earlier laws, this organic act also functioned as a constitution for the colony.
27 Massachusetts Ordinance on Legislative Procedure, October 18, 1648
The earliest formal specification of internal legislative procedures in the colonies.
28 Towns of Wells, Gorgiana, and Piscataqua Form an Independent Government, July 1649
Three towns in an area claimed by Massachusetts later to become Maine use a compact to create a joint government.
29 The Cambridge Agreement of October 4, 1652
The Cambridge town meeting lays out the basic values and principles that are to guide Cambridge’s elected representatives.
30 Puritan Laws and Liberties, September 29, 1658
A revision of the Pilgrim Code of Law [20] and thus, in effect, an amending of the constitution of the Plymouth Colony.
31 An Act of the General Court, June 10, 1661
The basic principles of Massachusetts government and also an attempt to define the relationship between colony and king.
RHODE ISLAND
32 Providence Agreement, August 20, 1637
A brief political compact resting on popular sovereignty, and the earliest colonial attempt to separate church and state.
33 Government of Pocasset, March 7, 1638
The political covenant that established the Pocasset town government.
34 Newport Agreement, April 28, 1639
A brief, general compact establishing town government on the basis of popular sovereignty.
35 The Government of Portsmouth, April 30, 1639
An unusual foundation document in that town government is grounded on an implicit civil covenant.
36 Plantation Agreement at Providence, August 27, 1640
A compact written and adopted by representatives specifically elected to design a system of government by arbitration.
37 Organization of the Government of Rhode Island, March 16–19, 1642
A compact that explicitly establishes a “Democracie,” or “Popular Government,” for the combined towns of Rhode Island.
38 Warwick Agreement, August 8, 1647
The representatives of Warwick establish town government on popular approval of a civil covenant sanctioned by the king.
39 Acts and Orders of 1647
This code of law also contains the institutional description that allows it to function as a constitution for the colony.
40 Charter of Providence, March 14, 1649
Providence is granted a charter for its government by the colony government at the request of the freemen.
41 General Assembly of Rhode Island Is Divided into Two Houses, March 27, 1666
The colony’s legislature amends the Acts and Orders of 1647 [39] to divide itself into two separate houses.
CONNECTICUT
42 Plantation Covenant at Quinnipiack, April 1638
An interim agreement which, after fourteen months, was replaced by the New Haven Fundamentals [50].
43 Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, January 14, 1639
A constitution that defined Connecticut’s political institutions as both a colony and a state until 1816.
44 Guilford Covenant, June 1, 1639
Written aboard ship, this covenant forms a people who agree to later create a government (see The Government of Guilford [49]).
45 Structure of Town Governments, October 10, 1639
A set of amendments that address the status of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut [43] as a federal system.
46 Fundamental Articles of New Haven, June 4–14, 1639
A summary of basic political principles, with the discussion surrounding its adoption that reveals underlying reasoning.
47 Connecticut Oath of Fidelity, 1640
A citizenship oath that brought those who arrived after 1639 into the 1639 founding compact—the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut [43].
48 Capitall Lawes of Connecticut, Established by the Generall Court the First of December, 1642
An ordinance that greatly reduces the number of reasons, compared with English common law, for using capital punishment.
49 The Government of Guilford, June 19, 1643
The detailed political covenant these colonists had agreed to establish in the Guilford Covenant [44].
50 New Haven Fundamentals, October 27, 1643
The Constitution of New Haven that guided the colony as a federation of towns until it united with Connecticut in 1662.
51 Majority Vote of Deputies and Magistrates Required for the Passage of Laws in Connecticut, February 5, 1645
An amendment to the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut [43] clarifying the bicameral relationship.