The Articles of Confederation   


To ALL TO WHOM these Presents shall come, we the undersigned
Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting. Whereas
the Delegates of the United States of America in Congress assembled
did on the fifteenth day of November in the Year of our Lord One
Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy seven, and in the Second Year of
the Independence of America agree to certain articles of
Confederation and perpetual Union between the States of
Newhampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhodeisland and Providence
Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina and
Georgia in the Words following, viz. "Articles of Confederation and
perpetual Union between the states of Newhampshire,
Massachusetts-bay, Rhodeisland and Providence Plantations,
Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina and Georgia.

Art. I. The Stile of this confederacy shall be "The United States
of America."

Art. II.  Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom and
independence, and every Power Jurisdiction and right, which is not
by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in
Congress assembled.

Art. III. The said states hereby severally enter into a firm league
of friendship with each other, for their common defence, the
security of their Liberties, and their mutual and general welfare,
binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered
to or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of
religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretence whatever.

Art. IV. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and
intercourse among the people of the different states in this union,
the free inhabitants of each of these states, paupers, vagabonds
and fugitives from Justice excepted, shall be entitled to all
privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several states;
and the people of each state shall have free ingress and regress to
and from any other state, and shall enjoy therein all the
privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties,
impositions and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof
respectively, provided that such restriction shall not extend so
far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any state,
to any other state of which the Owner is an inhabitant; provided
also that no imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid by any
state, on the property of the united states, or either of them.

If any Person guilty of, or charged with treason, felony, or other
high misdemeanor in any state, shall flee from Justice, and be
found in any of the united states, he shall upon demand of the
Governor or executive power, of the state from which he fled, be
delivered up and removed to the state having jurisdiction of his
offence.

Full faith and credit shall be given in each of these states to the
records, acts and judicial proceedings of the courts and
magistrates of every other state.

Art. V. For the more convenient management of the general interests
of the united states, delegates shall be annually appointed in such
manner as the legislature of each state shall direct, to meet in
Congress on the first Monday in November, in every year, with a
power reserved to each state, to recall its delegates, or any of
them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their
stead, for the remainder of the Year.

No state shall be represented in Congress by less than two, nor by
more than seven Members; and no person shall be capable of being a
delegate for more than three years in any term of six years; nor
shall any person, being a delegate, be capable of holding any
office under the united states, for which he, or another for his
benefit receives any salary, fees or emolument of any kind.

Each state shall maintain its own delegates in a meeting of the
states, and while they act as members of the committee of the
states.

In determining questions in the united states, in Congress
assembled, each state shall have one vote.

Freedom of speech and debate in Congress shall not be impeached or
questioned in any Court, or place out of Congress, and the members
of congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests and
imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from and
attendance on congress, except for treason, felony, or breach of
the peace.

Art. VI. No state without the Consent of the united states in
congress assembled. shall send any embassy to, or receive any
embassy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, or alliance
or treaty with any King, prince or state; nor shall any person
holding any office of profit or trust under the united states, or
any of them, accept of any present, emolument, office or title of
any kind whatever from any king, prince or foreign state; nor shall
the united states in congress assembled, or any of them, grant any
title of nobility.

No two or more states shall enter into any treaty, confederation or
alliance whatever between them, without the consent of the united
states in congress assembled, specifying accurately the purposes
for which the same is to be entered into, and how long it shall
continue.

No state shall lay any imposts or duties, which may interfere with
any stipulations in treaties, entered into by the united states in
congress assembled, with any king, prince or state, in pursuance of
any treaties already proposed by congress, to the courts of France
and Spain.

No vessels of war shall be kept up in time of peace by any state,
except such number only, as shall be deemed necessary by the united
states in congress assembled, for the defence of such state, or its
trade; nor shall any body of forces be kept up by any state, in
time of peace, except such number only, as in the judgment of the
united states, in congress assembled, shall be deemed requisite to
garrison the forts necessary for the defence of such state; but
every state shall always keep up a well regulated and disciplined
militia, sufficiently armed and accoutred, and shall provide and
constantly have ready for use, in public stores, a due number of
field pieces and tents, and a proper quantity of arms, ammunition
and camp equipage.

No state shall engage in any war without the consent of the united
states in congress assembled, unless such state be actually invaded
by enemies, or shall have received certain advice of a resolution
being formed by some nation of Indians to invade such state, and
the danger is so imminent as not to admit of a delay, till the
united states in congress assembled can be consulted: nor shall any
state grant commissions to any ships or vessels of war, nor letters
of marque or reprisal, except it be after a declaration of war by
the united states in congress assembled, and then only against the
kingdom or state and the subjects thereof, against which war has
been so declared, and under such regulations as shall be
established by the united states in congress assembled, unless such
state be infested by pirates, in which case vessels of war may be
fitted out for that occasion, and kept so long as the danger shall
continue, or until the united states in congress assembled shall
determine otherwise.

Art. VII. When land-forces are raised by any state for the common
defence, all officers of or under the rank of colonel, shall be
appointed by the legislature of each state respectively by whom
such forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such state shall
direct, and all vacancies shall be filled up by the state which
first made the appointment.

Art. VIII. All charges of war, and all other expences that shall be
incurred for the common defence or general welfare, and allowed by
the united states in congress assembled, shall be defrayed out of
a common treasury, which shall be supplied by the several states,
in proportion to the value of all land within each state, granted
to or surveyed for any Person, as such land and the buildings and
improvements thereon shall be estimated according to such mode as
the united states in congress assembled, shall from time to time
direct and appoint. The taxes for paying that proportion shall be
laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures
of the several states within the time agreed upon by the united
states in congress assembled.

Art. IX. The united states in congress assembled, shall have the
sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war,
except in the cases mentioned in the sixth article--of sending and
receiving ambassadors--entering into treaties and alliances,
provided that no treaty of commerce shall be made whereby the
legislative power of the respective states shall be restrained from
imposing such imposts and duties on foreigners, as their own people
are subjected to, or from prohibiting the exportation or
importation of any species of goods or commodities whatsoever--of
establishing rules for deciding in all cases, what captures on land
or water shall be legal, and in what manner prizes taken by land or
naval forces in the service of the united states shall be divided
or appropriated.--of granting letters of marque and reprisal in
times of peace-- appointing courts for the trial of piracies and
felonies committed on the high seas and establishing courts for
receiving and determining finally appeals in all cases of captures,
provided that no member of congress shall be appointed a judge of
any of the said courts.

The united states in congress assembled shall also be the last
resort on appeal in all disputes and differences now subsisting or
that hereafter may arise between two or more states concerning
boundary, jurisdiction or any other cause whatever; which authority
shall always be exercised in the manner following. Whenever the
legislative or executive authority or lawful agent of any state in
controversy with another shall present a petition to congress.
stating the matter in question and praying for a hearing, notice
thereof shall be given by order of congress to the legislative or
executive authority of the other state in controversy, and a day
assigned for the appearance of the parties by their lawful agents,
who shall then be directed to appoint by joint consent,
commissioners or judges to constitute a court for hearing and
determining the matter in question: but if they cannot agree,
congress shall name three persons out of each of the united states,
and from the list of such persons each party shall alternately
strike out one, the petitioners beginning, until the number shall
be reduced to thirteen; and from that number not less than seven,
nor more than nine names as congress shall direct, shall in the
presence of congress be drawn out by lot, and the persons whose
names shall be so drawn or any five of them, shall be commissioners
or judges, to hear and finally determine the controversy, so always
as a major part of the judges who shall hear the cause shall agree
in the determination: and if either party shall neglect to attend
at the day appointed, without shewing reasons, which congress shall
judge sufficient, or being present shall refuse to strike, the
congress shall proceed to nominate three persons out of each state,
and the secretary of congress shall strike in behalf of such party
absent or refusing; and the judgment and sentence of the court to
be appointed, in the manner before prescribed, shall be final and
conclusive; and if any of the parties shall refuse to submit to the
authority of such court, or to appear to defend their claim or
cause, the court shall nevertheless proceed to pronounce sentence,
or judgment, which shall in like manner be final and decisive, the
judgment or sentence and other proceedings being in either case
transmitted to congress and lodged among the acts of congress for
the security of the parties concerned: provided that every
commissioner, before he sits in judgment, shall take an oath to be
administered by one of the judges of the supreme or superior court
of the state, where the cause shall be tried, "well and truly to
hear and determine the matter in question, according to the best of
his judgment, without favour, affection or hope of reward: "
provided also that no state shall be deprived of territory for the
benefit of the united states.

All controversies concerning the private right of soil claimed
under different grants of two or more states. whose jurisdictions
as they may respect such lands, and the states which passed such
grants are adjusted, the said grants or either of them being at the
same time claimed to have originated antecedent to such settlement
of jurisdiction, shall on the petition of either party to the
congress of the united states, be finally determined as near as may
be in the same manner as is before prescribed for deciding disputes
respecting territorial jurisdiction between different states.

The united states in congress assembled shall also have the sole
and exclusive right and power of regulating the alloy and value of
coin struck by their own authority, or by that of the respective
states--fixing the standard of weights and measures throughout the
united states.--regulating the trade and managing all affairs with
the Indians, not members of any of the states, provided that the
legislative right of any state within its own limits be not
infringed or violated--establishing and regulating post-offices
from one state to another, throughout all the united states, and
exacting such postage on the papers passing thro' the same as may
be requisite to defray the expences of the said office--appointing
all officers of the land forces, in the service of the united
states, excepting regimental officers.--appointing all the officers
of the naval forces, and commissioning all officers whatever in the
service of the united states--making rules for the government all(1
regulation of the said land and naval forces, and directing their
operations.

The united states in congress assembled shall have authority to
appoint a committee, to sit in the recess of congress, to be
denominated "A Committee of the States," and to consist of one
delegate from each state; and to appoint such other committees and
civil officers as may be necessary for managing the general affairs
of the united states under their direction--to appoint one of their
number to preside, provided that no person be allowed to serve in
the office of president more than one year in any term of three
years; to ascertain the necessary sums of Money to be raised for
the service of the united states, and to appropriate and apply the
same for defraying the public expences--to borrow money, or emit
bills on the credit of the united states, transmitting every half
year to the respective states an account of the sums of money so
borrowed or emitted,--to build and equip a navy--to agree upon the
number of land forces and to make requisitions from each state for
its quota, in proportion to the number of white inhabitants in such
state; which requisition shall be binding, and thereupon the
legislature of each state shall appoint the regimental officers,
raise the men and cloath, arm and equip them in a soldier like
manner, at the expence of the united states, and the officers and
men so cloathed, armed and equipped shall march to the place
appointed, and within the time agreed on by the united states in
congress assembled: But if the united states in congress assembled
shall, on consideration of circumstances judge proper that any
state should not raise men, or should raise a smaller number than
its quota, and that any other state should raise a greater number
of men than the quota thereof, such extra number shall be raised,
officered, cloathed, armed and equipped in the same manner as the
quota of such state, unless the legislature of such state shall
judge that such extra number cannot be safely spared out of the
same, in which case they shall raise officer, cloath, arm and equip
as many of such extra number as they judge can be safely spared.
And the officers and men so cloathed, armed and equipped, shall
march to the place appointed, and within the time agreed on by the
united states in congress assembled.

The united states in congress assembled shall never engage in a
war, nor grant letters of marque and reprisal in time of peace, nor
enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate
the value thereof, nor ascertain the sums and expences necessary
for the defence and welfare of the united states, or any of them,
nor emit bills, nor borrow money on the credit of the united
states, nor appropriate money, nor agree upon the number of vessels
of war, to be built or purchased, or the number of land or sea
forces to be raised, nor appoint a commander in chief of the army
or navy, unless nine states assent to the same: nor shall a
question on any other point, except for adjourning from day to day
be determined, unless by the votes of a majority of the united
states in congress assembled.   The congress of the united states
shall have power to adjourn to any time within the year, and to any
place within the united states, so that no period of adjournment be
for a longer duration than the space of six Months, and shall
publish the Journal of their proceedings monthly, except such parts
thereof relating to treaties, alliances or military operations as
in their judgment require secresy; and the yeas and nays of the
delegates of each state on any question shall be entered on the
Journal, when it is desired by any delegate; and the delegates of
a state, or any of them, at his or their request shall be furnished
with a transcript of the said Journal, except such parts as are
above excepted, to lay before the legislatures of the several
states.

Art. X. The committee of the states, or any nine of them, shall be
authorised to execute, in the recess of congress, such of the
powers of congress as the united states in congress assembled, by
the consent of nine states, shall from time to time think expedient
to vest them with;  provided that no power bc delegated to the said
committee, for the exercise of which, by the articles of
confederation the voice of nine states in the congress of the
united states assembled is requisite.

Art. XI. Canada acceding to this confederation, and joining in the
measures of the united states, shall be admitted into, and entitled
to all the advantages of this union: but no other colony shall be
admitted into the same, unless such admission be agreed to by nine
states.

Art. XII. All bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed and debts
contracted by, or under the authority of congress, before the
assembling of the united states, in pursuance of the present
confederation, shall be deemed and considered as a charge against
the united states, for payment and satisfaction whereof the said
united states, and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged. 

Art. XIII. Every state shall abide by the determinations of the
united states in congress assembled, on all questions which by this
confederation are submitted to them.  And the Articles of this
confederation shall be inviolably observed by every state, and the
union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time
hereafter be made in any of them; unless such alteration be agreed
to in a congress of the united states and be afterwards confirmed
by the legislatures of every state.

AND WHEREAS it hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to
incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in
congress, to approve of, and to authorize us to ratify the said
articles of confederation and perpetual union. Now YE that are the
under-signed delegates, by virtue of the power and authority to us
given for that purpose, do by these presents, in the name and in
behalf of our respective constituents fully and entirely ratify and
confirm each and every of the said articles of confederation and
perpetual union, and all and singular the matters and things
therein contained: And we do further solemnly plight and engage the
faith of our respective constituents, that they shall abide by the
determinations of the united states in congress assembled on all
questions, which by the said confederation are submitted to them.
And that the articles thereof shall be inviolably observed by the
states we respectively represent, and that the union shall be
perpetual. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in
Congress. Done at Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania the
ninth Day of July in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven
Hundred and Seventy-eight, and in the third year of the
independence of America.

116        D O C U M E N T S O F A M E R I C A N H I S T O R Y

JOSIAH BARTLETT 
JOHN WENTWORTH  August 8th 1778
On the part & behalf of the State of New Hampshire

JOHN HANCOCK
SAMUEL ADAMS
ELBRIDOE GERRY
FRANCIS DANA
JAMES LOVELL
SAMUEL HOLTEN
On the part & behalf of the State of Massachusetts Bay

WILLIAM ELLERY
HENRY MARCHANT
JOHN COLLINS
On the part & behalf of the State of Rhode-Island and Providence
Plantation

ROGER SHERMAN
SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
OLIVER WOLCOTT
TITUS HOSMER
ANDREW ADAMS
On the part & behalf of the State of Connecticut

JAS DUANE
FRAs LEWIS
WM DUER
GOUV MORRIS
On the part & behalf of the State of New York

JNO WITHERSPOON
NATHL SCUDDER
On the part & behalf of the State of New Jersey

ROBT MORRIS
DANIEL ROBERDEAU
JON BAYARD SMITH
WILLIAM CLINGAN 
JOSEPH REED    22 July 1778
On the part & behalf of the State of Pennsylvania

THO M:KEAN  Feby 12 1779
JOHN  DICKINSON   May 5th 1779
NICHOLAS VAN DYKE
On the part & behalf of the State of Delaware

JOHN HANSON   March 1 1781
DANIEL CARROLL 
On the part & behalf of the State of Maryland

RICHARD HENRY LEE
JOHN BANISTER
THOMAS ADAMS
JN HARVIE
FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE
On the part & behalf of the State of Virginia

JOHN PENN Jul 21st 1778
CORNS HARNETT