The volume begins with the Royal Charter granted by King Charles II in 1662, followed by the Articles of Confederation, and then a compilation of the governing acts for Connecticut through 1786, including key legislation that ultimately ended slavery in the state.
Unlike the other states, which replaced their royal charters soon after the Declaration of Independence, Connecticut did not adopt a new state constitution until 1818. Bound with this signed book, which includes the Articles of Confederation and a compilation of the governing acts for Connecticut through 1784, are three separately printed sections of the Acts from 1784, 1785, and 1786. The volume has dozens of manuscript annotations noting changes to the acts–particularly which laws had been repealed or replaced.