Replaced by the Constitution of the United States in 1789
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.
I. The Stile of this Confederacy shall be "The United States of America".
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
The source of this text: the University of Oklahoma Law Center