Who in the world came up with the idea of the Electoral College? What a crazy way to select the leaders of the executive branch of our government. When the original colonies separated from our mother land England, they established a confederation. The rules for this union were developed in the “Articles of Confederation” established in 1781. Each colony was essentially a free and independent country unto itself. They were joined for mutual defense and for international agreements. They had open borders and each had their own currency.