The Articles of Confederation
Article I. The Style of this confederacy shall be "The United
States of America."
Article 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.
Article III. The said States hereby severally enter into a firm
league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, 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.
Article 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.
Article 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.
Article 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 defense 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 defense of
such State; but every State shall always keep up a well regulated and
disciplined militia, sufficiently armed and accoutered, 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.
Article VII. When land forces are raised by any state for the common
defense, 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.
Article VIII. All charges of war, and all other expenses that shall
be incurred for the common defense 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.
Article 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 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 showing 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 favor, 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 through the same as may be
requisite to defray the expenses 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 and 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 expenses- 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 clothe, arm and equip them in a soldier like manner, at the expense
of the United States, and the officers and men so clothed, 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,
clothed, 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, clothe, arm and equip as many of such extra number as they judge
can be safely spared. And the officers and men so clothed, 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 expenses necessary for the defense 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 secrecy; 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.
Article X. The Committee of the States, or any nine of them, shall be
authorized 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 be 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.
Article 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.
Article 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.
Article 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, KNOW YE that we the undersigned 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.
On the part and behalf of the State of New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
John Wentworth Junr.
August 8th 1778
On the part and behalf of The State of Massachusetts Bay:
John Hancock
Francis Dana
Samuel Adams
James Lovell
Elbridge Gerry
Samuel Holten
On the part and behalf of the State of Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations:
William Ellery
John Collins
Henry Marchant
On the part and behalf of the State of Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Titus Hosmer
Samuel Huntington
Andrew Adams
Oliver Wolcott
On the Part and Behalf of the State of New York:
James Duane
Wm Duer
Francis Lewis
Gouv Morris
On the Part and in Behalf of the State of New Jersey, November 26, 1778.
Jno Witherspoon
Nathaniel Scudder
On the part and behalf of the State of Pennsylvania:
Robt Morris
William Clingan
Daniel Roberdeau
Joseph Reed
John Bayard Smith
22nd July 1778
On the part and behalf of the State of Delaware:
Tho Mckean February 12, 1779
John Dickinson May 5th 1779
Nicholas Van Dyke
On the part and behalf of the State of Maryland:
John Hanson March 1 1781
Daniel Carroll Do
On the Part and Behalf of the State of Virginia:
Richard Henry Lee
Jno Harvie
John Banister
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Thomas Adams
On the part and Behalf of the State of No Carolina:
John Penn July 21St 1778
Corns Harnett
Jno Williams
On the part and behalf of the State of South Carolina:
Henry Laurens
Richd Hutson
William Henry Drayton
Thos Heyward Junr
Jno Mathews
On the part and behalf of the State of Georgia:
Jno Walton 24th July 1778
Edwd Telfair
Edwd Langworthy