To all to whom these Presents shall come, we the undersigned Delegates
of the States affixed to our Names send greeting.
Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the states of
New Hampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and
Georgia.
Article I.
The Stile 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 pretense 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 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 restrictions
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 offense.
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 most convenient management of the general interests of the
United States, delegates shall be annually appointed in such manner as
the legislatures 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 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 or
imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from, and
attendence 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, 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 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 vessel 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 judgement 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 filed 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 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 commited 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 causes 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 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 judgement 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 or defend their claim or cause, the court shall
nevertheless proceed to pronounce sentence, or judgement, which shall
in like manner be final and decisive, the judgement 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
judgement, 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 judgement, 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 presecribed 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 standards 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 or 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
members 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 cloath, arm and equip them
in a solid-like manner, at the expense 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 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 each State,
unless the legislature of such State shall judge that such extra
number cannot be safely spread out in the same, in which case they
shall raise, officer, cloath, arm and equip as many of such extra
number as they judeg 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 or 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
the 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 judgement 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 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 the 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 be requisite.
Article XI.
Canada acceding to this confederation, and adjoining 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 pleged.
Article XIII.
Every State shall abide by the determination 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.
Agreed to by Congress 15 November 1777 In force after ratification by
Maryland, 1 March 1781
