Which document established the framework for the government in the Connecticut colony?

The Fundamental Orders of 1638 was a groundbreaking document that established a framework for self-governance in the Connecticut colony. It is recognized as one of the first written constitutions that created a government, setting out the structure and powers of the legislature and establishing a system of governance that included a representative assembly. The document reflected the democratic principles valued by the Puritan settlers and aimed to create a government based on the consent of the governed.

In contrast, while the Mayflower Compact provided a rudimentary form of self-governance for the Pilgrims, it did not serve as a formal constitution like the Fundamental Orders. The Articles of Confederation were established much later as the first constitution for the newly independent United States, thus not relevant to the Connecticut colony's founding. The Declaration of Independence, drafted in 1776, proclaimed the colonies’ separation from Britain and did not pertain to the internal governance of the colonies themselves. Therefore, the Fundamental Orders are pivotal for understanding the early development of democratic governance in Colonial America, particularly in Connecticut.