<P> The television series and films depict Earth and humanity as holding a center - stage political role within the Federation, in some ways first among equals . The legislature, the Federation Council, is located at the Presidio of San Francisco . Several other bodies of the Federation have been depicted . There is an executive branch headed by a Federation President, who keeps offices in the Palais de la Concorde in Paris . There is a judiciary branch as well, the highest court of which is the Federation Supreme Court . The Federation's scientific, diplomatic and defensive / military arm is Starfleet, depicted as being headquartered at Fort Baker . The Federation comes into military conflict with other major powers in the galaxy such as the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Star Empire, the Cardassian Union, the Borg, and the Dominion . </P> <P> The United Federation of Planets has existed as part of the Star Trek universe since the first season of the original series and is the primary focus of all the Star Trek series . Several episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise follow events leading up to the creation of the Federation, with the final episode featuring the signing of the Federation Charter . </P> <P> In the series Star Trek: Enterprise, Earth Minister Nathan Samuels advocated the Coalition of Planets and invited other alien species, initially the Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites, to become a part of this . The formation of the Coalition seems to have been the event that provoked the xenophobic Terra Prime incident in the episodes "Demons" and "Terra Prime". After Terra Prime leader John Frederick Paxton exploited the xenophobia on Earth, many of the aliens were unnerved and nearly abandoned the idea of a coalition . However, they were convinced by a speech from Captain Jonathan Archer to give the idea of a united organization of worlds a chance . Six years later in 2161, the United Federation of Planets was organized . </P> <P> The Federation is founded under a document known as the Charter of the United Federation of Planets October 9, 2161, which is occasionally referred to informally as the "Constitution". It draws text and inspiration from the United Nations Charter and other sources . An important guiding principle--it is listed as General Order One in the list of Starfleet general orders--is the Prime Directive, which forbids any interference in the natural development of any civilization which has not yet discovered faster - than - light (or warp) travel . This is intended to prevent even well - intentioned Federation personnel from introducing changes which could destabilize or even destroy other pre-warp era cultures through interference . In practice, however, consistent application of the Prime Directive tends to be a controversial issue, and the Federation does not always abide strictly by it, as when it initially approved the forced relocation of the Ba'ku from their adopted homeworld--although it was eventually determined that the Ba'ku were not a pre-warp civilization . Starfleet's Omega Directive supersedes the Prime Directive allowing for any means possible to destroy the Omega particle if encountered . Other aspects of the articles provide for rule of law, equality among individuals, and protection of civil and creative liberties--all of which appear to be based on principles found in contemporary Western political theory . The charter includes guarantees of civil rights, the Seventh Guarantee being analogous to the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution and its protection against self - incrimination . </P>

When was the united federation of planets founded