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.
APStudent.com | www.apstudent.com