What document set a precedent for future congresses by allowing colonies to organize for common defense?

The Albany Plan of Union was significant because it was one of the first formal proposals to unify the American colonies under a single governing body for the purpose of mutual defense. Proposed in 1754 during the Albany Congress, the plan called for the colonies to form a unified government that would enable them to coordinate their military efforts against threats, particularly from Native Americans and French forces. Although the plan was ultimately rejected, it established a crucial precedent for future collaboration among the colonies, emphasizing the importance of unity in the face of external dangers. This idea of collective defense and regional cooperation would re-emerge during later conflicts, including the American Revolution, and influenced the formation of the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.