The Articles of Confederation

Agreed to by Congress 15 November 1777
In force after ratification by Maryland, 1 March 1781
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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 powerreserved 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.
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