The Fundamental Orders were adopted by the Connecticut Colony council on January 24 [O.S. January 14] 1639. The Fundamental Orders describe the structure and powers of the government set up by the Connecticut River towns in a driven attempt for the folks of Connecticut to lead Godly lives. The Orders were also designed to give the government access to the open ocean for trading.
The Orders are often considered to be the first example of a written constitution in America, and within the orders, there is an emphasis on the limitation of powers of certain government positions and involvement of the common folk within government rather than exclusively by the gentry. Connecticut has even earned its nickname of The Constitution State because of this. The document is also notable as it assigns supreme authority in the colony to the elected general court, omitting any reference to the authority of the British Crown or other external authority. In 1662, the colony petitioned the king for a royal charter, which substantially secured the colony's right to self-govern following the same form of government established by the Fundamental Orders. However, most consider the Charter as just a reiteration of the policies found in the Fundamental Orders. With the involvement of common folk within government, as well as other rights such as not having requirements for the Freedmen to vote and giving them access to said vote, the document could be considered one of the more democratic constitutions of its time and is vital to the blueprint for democracy within the American government.
