Articles of Confederation
Page I of the Articles of Confederation
Created	November 15, 1777
Ratified	March 1, 1781
Location
Authors	Continental Congress
Signers	Continental Congress
Purpose	Constitution for the United States, later replaced by the creation of the current United States Constitution

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, also the Articles of Confederation, was the first governing constitution of the United States of America. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1777 ( MDCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Ratification is the act of giving official sanction or approval to a formal document such as a treaty or constitution Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Formally, the thirteen states were thirteen independent states (countries) until their ratification (proposed in 1777) was completed in 1781; then came to legal existence the "United States of America" as a union with a confederation government, yet, as the Articles (and the succeeding Constitution) stipulate, the states retained sovereignty and every function of sovereignty not specifically deputed to the government of the federation. A Perpetual Union of the 13 American states was a key element of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. A confederation is a group of empowered states or communities usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution

The final draft of the Articles was written in the summer of 1777 and adopted by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777 in York, Pennsylvania after a year of debate. The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that met beginning in May 10 1775 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1777 ( MDCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common York, known as the White Rose City (after the Wars of the Roses) is a city located in South Central Pennsylvania. In practice it served as the de facto system of government used by the Congress ("the United States in Congress assembled") until it became de jure by final ratification on March 1, 1781. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common At that point Congress became the Congress of the Confederation. The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America from March 1, The Articles set the rules for operations of the "United States" confederation. The confederation was capable of making war, negotiating diplomatic agreements, and resolving issues regarding the western territories; it could mint coins and borrow inside and outside the United States.

The Articles were created by the chosen representatives of the states in the Second Continental Congress out of a perceived need to have "a plan of confederacy for securing the freedom, sovereignty, and independence of the United States. " Although serving a crucial role in the attainment of nationhood for the thirteen states, it soon became clear the Articles lacked the necessary provisions for a sufficiently effective government. Fundamentally, a federation was sought to replace the confederation. A federation ( Latin: foedus, covenant is a union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central ("federal" A confederation is a group of empowered states or communities usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution The key criticism by those who favored a more powerful central state (i. A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. e. , federalists) was that the government (i. Federalism in the United States is the evolving relationship between U e. the Congress of the Confederation) lacked taxing authority; it had to request funds from the states. The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America from March 1, Another criticism of the Articles was that they did not strike the right balance between large and small states in the legislative decision making process. Due to its one-state, one-vote plank, the larger states were expected to contribute more but had only one vote. The Articles were replaced by the United States Constitution on June 21, 1788. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. Events 524 - Godomar, King of the Burgundians defeats the Franks at the Battle of Vézeronce. Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap

Background

The political push for the colonies to increase cooperation began in the French and Indian Wars in the mid 1750s. The French and Indian Wars is a name used in the United States for a series of conflicts in North America that represented the actions there that accompanied The opening of the American Revolutionary War in 1775 induced the various states to cooperate in seceding from the British Empire. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The Second Continental Congress starting 1775 acted as the confederation organ that ran the war. The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that met beginning in May 10 1775 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Congress presented the Articles for enactment by the states in 1777, while prosecuting the American Revolutionary war against the Kingdom of Great Britain. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800

Ratification

Congress began to move for ratification of the Articles in 1777:

The articles can always be candidly reviewed under a sense of the difficulty of combining in one general system the various sentiments and interests of a continent divided into so many sovereign and independent communities, under a conviction of the absolute necessity of uniting all our councils and all our strength, to maintain and defend our common liberties. . . ^[1]

The document could not become officially effective until it was ratified by all of the thirteen colonies. The first state to ratify was Virginia on December 16, 1777. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1777 ( MDCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[2] The process dragged on for several years, stalled by the refusal of some states to rescind their claims to land in the West. Maryland was the last holdout; it refused to go along until Virginia and New York agreed to cede their claims in the Ohio River valley. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. A little over three years passed before Maryland's ratification on March 1, 1781. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Article summaries

Even though the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution were established by many of the same people, the two documents were very different. The original five-paged Articles contained thirteen articles, a conclusion, and a signatory section. The following list contains short summaries of each of the thirteen articles.

1. Establishes the name of the confederation as "The United States of America. "
2. Asserts the precedence of the separate states over the confederation government, i. e. "Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated. "
3. Establishes the United States as a league of states united ".  .  . 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 .  .  .  . "
4. Establishes freedom of movement–anyone can pass freely between states, excluding "paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives from justice. Freedom of movement, mobility rights or the right to travel is a Human rights concept which is respected in the Constitutions of numerous Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and A vagabond is an Itinerant person Such people may be called Tramps rogues or Hobos A vagabond is characterised by almost continuous travelling A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from Custody, whether it be from private Slavery, a government Arrest, government or non-government questioning " All people are entitled to the rights established by the state into which he travels. If a crime is committed in one state and the perpetrator flees to another state, he will be extradited to and tried in the state in which the crime was committed. Extradition is the official process by which one nation or state requests and obtains from another nation or state the surrender of a suspected or convicted criminal
5. Allocates one vote in the Congress of the Confederation (United States in Congress Assembled) to each state, which was entitled to a delegation of between two and seven members. The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America from March 1, Members of Congress were appointed by state legislatures; individuals could not serve more than three out of any six years.
6. Only the central government is allowed to conduct foreign relations and to declare war. A declaration of war is a formal performative Speech act or signing of a document by an authorised party of a government in order to initate a state of War No states may have navies or standing armies, or engage in war, without permission of Congress (although the state militias are encouraged). The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary Citizens to provide defense emergency law enforcement or Paramilitary service
7. When an army is raised for common defense, colonels and military ranks below colonel will be named by the state legislatures.
8. Expenditures by the United States will be paid by funds raised by state legislatures, and apportioned to the states based on the real property values of each.
9. Defines the powers of the central government: to declare war, to set weights and measures (including coins), and for Congress to serve as a final court for disputes between states.
10. Defines a Committee of the States to be a government when Congress is not in session. The Committee of the States was an arm of the United States government under the Articles of Confederation.
11. Requires nine states to approve the admission of a new state into the confederacy; pre-approves Canada, if it applies for membership. The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years' War.
12. Reaffirms that the Confederation accepts war debt incurred by Congress before the Articles.
13. Declares that the Articles are perpetual, and can only be altered by approval of Congress with ratification by all the state legislatures.

Still at war with the Kingdom of Great Britain, the colonists were reluctant to establish another powerful national government. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 Jealously guarding their new independence, members of the Continental Congress created a loosely-structured unicameral legislature that protected the liberty of the individual states at the expense of the confederation. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber While calling on Congress to regulate military and monetary affairs, for example, the Articles of Confederation provided no mechanism to ensure states complied with requests for troops or revenue. At times, this left the military in a precarious position, as George Washington wrote in a 1781 letter to the governor of Massachusetts, John Hancock. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. John Hancock ( October 8 1793 was a Massachusetts merchant and prominent patriot of the American Revolution.

Articles of Confederation

The end of the war

The Treaty of Paris (1783), which ended hostilities with Great Britain, languished in Congress for months because state representatives failed to attend sessions of the national legislature. The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, and approved by the Congress of the Confederation on January 14, 1784, formally Yet Congress had no power to enforce attendance. Writing to George Clinton in September 1783, George Washington complained:

Congress have come to no determination yet respecting the Peace Establishment nor am I able to say when they will. This page is for the US Vice President For others of that name see George Clinton. I have lately had a conference with a Committee on this subject, and have reiterated my former opinions, but it appears to me that there is not a sufficient representation to discuss Great National points. ^[3]

Function

The Articles supported the Congressional direction of the Continental Army, and allowed the 13 states to present a unified front when dealing with the European powers. The American Continental Army was an Army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America But as a tool to build a centralized war-making government, they were largely a failure. Under the articles, Congress could make decisions, but had no power to enforce them. There was a requirement for unanimous approval before any modifications could be made to the Articles. Because the majority of lawmaking rested with the states, the central government was also very weak. Major laws also required approvals from nine of the thirteen states as well.

Congress was denied the power of taxation: it could only request money from the states. The states did not generally comply with the requests in full, leaving the confederation chronically short of funds. Congress was also denied the power to regulate commerce, and as a result, the states fought over trade as well. The states and the national congress had both incurred debts during the war, and how to pay the debts became a major issue. Some states paid off their debts; however, the centralizers favored federal assumption of states' debts.

Nevertheless, the Congress of the Confederation did take two actions with lasting impact. The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America from March 1, The Land Ordinance of 1785 established the general land survey and ownership provisions used throughout later American expansion. The Land Ordinance of 1785 was adopted by the United States Congress on May 20, 1785. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 noted the agreement of the original states to give up western land claims and cleared the way for the entry of new states. The Northwest Ordinance (formally An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States North-West of the River Ohio, and also known as the Freedom The state cessions are those areas of the United States that the separate states ceded to the federal government in the late 18th and early 19th century

Once the war was won, the Continental Army was largely disbanded. The American Continental Army was an Army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America A very small national force was maintained to man frontier forts and protect against Indian attacks. Meanwhile, each of the states had an army (or militia), and 11 of them had navies. The wartime promises of bounties and land grants to be paid for service were not being met. In 1783, Washington defused the Newburgh conspiracy, but riots by unpaid Pennsylvania veterans forced the Congress to leave Philadelphia temporarily. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the The Newburgh Conspiracy was a plot hatched in 1783 near the end of the American Revolutionary War resulting from the fact that many of the officers and men of the ^[4]

Signatures

The Second Continental Congress approved the Articles for distribution to the states on November 15, 1777. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1777 ( MDCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A copy was made for each state and one was kept by the Congress. The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the The copies sent to the states for ratification were unsigned, and a cover letter had only the signatures of Henry Laurens and Charles Thomson, who were the President and Secretary to the Congress. Henry Laurens (March 6 1724 December 8 1792 was an American merchant and rice planter from South Carolina who became a political leader during the Revolutionary Charles Thomson (November 29 1729 – August 16 1824 was a Patriot leader in Philadelphia during the American Revolution and the secretary of the The President of the Continental Congress was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, the convention of delegates that emerged as the first national government

But, the Articles at that time were unsigned, and the date was blank. Congress began the signing process by examining their copy of the Articles on June 27, 1778. Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Year 1778 ( MDCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or They ordered a final copy prepared (the one in the National Archives), and that delegates should inform the secretary of their authority for ratification.

On July 9, 1778, the prepared copy was ready. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1778 ( MDCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or They dated it, and began to sign. They also requested each of the remaining states to notify its delegation when ratification was completed. On that date, delegates present from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and South Carolina signed the Articles to indicate that their states had ratified. New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland could not, since their states had not ratified. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. North Carolina and Georgia also didn't sign that day, since their delegations were absent. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule

After the first signing, some delegates signed at the next meeting they attended. For example, John Wentworth of New Hampshire added his name on August 8. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. John Penn was the first of North Carolina's delegates to arrive (on July 10), and the delegation signed the Articles on July 21, 1778. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 1778 ( MDCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or

The other states had to wait until they ratified the Articles and notified their Congressional delegation. Georgia signed on July 24, New Jersey on November 26, and Delaware on February 12, 1779. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Events 43 BC - The Second Triumvirate alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus ("Octavian" later "Caesar Augustus" Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1779 ( MDCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Maryland refused to ratify the Articles until every state had ceded its western land claims.

The Act of the Maryland legislature to ratify the Articles of Confederation on February 2, 1781

On February 2, 1781, the much-awaited decision was taken by the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis^[5]. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U Annapolis is the capital of the US state of Maryland, as well as the County seat of Anne Arundel County. As the last piece of business during the afternoon Session, "among engrossed Bills" was "signed and sealed by Governor Thomas Sim Lee in the Senate Chamber, in the presence of the members of both Houses… an Act to empower the delegates of this state in Congress to subscribe and ratify the articles of confederation" and perpetual union among the states. Thomas Sim Lee ( October 29, 1745 &ndash November 9, 1819) was an American planter and statesman of Frederick County, The Senate then adjourned "to the first Monday in August next. " The decision of Maryland to ratify the Articles was reported to the Continental Congress on February 12. The formal signing of the Articles by the Maryland delegates took place in Philadelphia at noon time on March 1, 1781 and was celebrated in the afternoon. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common With these events, the Articles entered into force and the United States came into being as a united, sovereign and national state. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Congress had debated the Articles for over a year and a half, and the ratification process had taken nearly three and a half years. Many participants in the original debates were no longer delegates, and some of the signers had only recently arrived. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union were signed by a group of men who were never present in the Congress at the same time.

The signers and the states they represented were:

• New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett and John Wentworth Jr.
• Massachusetts Bay: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, Francis Dana, James Lovell, and Samuel Holten
• Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: William Ellery, Henry Marchant, and John Collins
• Connecticut: Roger Sherman¹, Samuel Huntington, Oliver Wolcott, Titus Hosmer, and Andrew Adams
• New York: James Duane, Francis Lewis, William Duer, and Gouverneur Morris
• New Jersey: John Witherspoon and Nathaniel Scudder
• Pennsylvania: Robert Morris², Daniel Roberdeau, Jonathan Bayard Smith, William Clingan, and Joseph Reed
• Delaware: Thomas McKean, John Dickinson³, and Nicholas Van Dyke
• Maryland: John Hanson and Daniel Carroll³
• Virginia: Richard Henry Lee, John Banister, Thomas Adams, John Harvie, and Francis Lightfoot Lee
• North Carolina: John Penn, Cornelius Harnett, and John Williams
• South Carolina: Henry Laurens, William Henry Drayton, John Mathews, Richard Hutson, and Thomas Heyward Jr.
• Georgia: John Walton, Edward Telfair, and Edward Langworthy

¹ The only person to sign all four great state papers of the United States: the Articles of Association, the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Josiah Bartlett (November 21 1729 May 19 1795 was an American Physician and Statesman who as a Delegate to the Continental Congress John Wentworth Jr (1745-1787 was a lawyer who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress for New Hampshire and a signer of the Articles of Confederation The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. John Hancock ( October 8 1793 was a Massachusetts merchant and prominent patriot of the American Revolution. Samuel Adams ( – October 2 1803 was an American Statesman, Politician, Writer and political philosopher, brewer Elbridge Thomas Gerry (ˈgɛri (July 17 1744 November 23 1814 was an American statesman and diplomat Francis Dana (1743&ndash1811 was an American lawyer jurist and statesman from Massachusetts. James Lovell ( October 31, 1737 &ndash July 14, 1814) was an American educator and statesman from Boston Massachusetts Samuel Holten ( June 9, 1738 &ndash January 2, 1816) was an American physician and statesman from Danvers Massachusetts Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States Strike-through text William Ellery (December 22 1727 &ndash February 15 1820 was a signer of the United States Declaration Henry Marchant ( April 9, 1741 &ndash August 30, 1796) was an American lawyer from Newport Rhode Island. John Collins (1717 March 4 1795 third governor of the US state of Rhode Island, was born in Newport, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Collins Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Roger Sherman ( April 19, 1721 ( JC) April 30, 1721 ( GC) July 23, 1793) was an early Samuel Huntington ( January 5 1796 was an American jurist statesman and revolutionary leader from Connecticut. Oliver Wolcott ( December 1, 1726 December 1, 1797) was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence Titus Hosmer (1736 &ndash August 4 1780) was an American lawyer from Middletown Connecticut. Andrew Adams ( January 7, 1736 &ndash November 26 1797) was an American lawyer jurist and political leader in Litchfield Connecticut New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous James Duane ( February 6, 1733 &ndash February 1, 1797) was a lawyer jurist and Revolutionary leader from New York. Francis Lewis ( March 21, 1713 &ndash December 30, 1803) was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence Gouverneur Morris ( January 31, 1752 November 6, 1816) was an American statesman who represented Pennsylvania in the New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. John Witherspoon ( February 15, 1723 &ndash November 15, 1794) was a signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence Nathaniel Scudder ( May 10, 1733 &ndash October 17, 1781) was an American physician and patriot leader during the Revolutionary The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Robert Morris Jr (ˈmɒrɨs ( January 20, 1734 – May 9, 1806) was an American merchant and a signer to the United States Daniel Roberdeau (1727&ndash January 5, 1795) was an American merchant in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Jonathan Bayard Smith ( February 21, 1742 &ndash June 16, 1812) was an American merchant from Philadelphia Pennsylvania. William Clingan (c1721 &ndash May 9, 1790) was a delegate in the Continental Congress for Pennsylvania from 1777 to 1779 Joseph Reed ( August 27, 1741 &ndash March 5, 1785) was a Pennsylvania Lawyer, Military aide, and Statesman Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Thomas McKean (March 19 1734 June 24 1817 was an American Lawyer and Politician from New Castle, Delaware, and Philadelphia John Dickinson ( November 8 1732 – February 14 1808) was an American Lawyer and Politician from Philadelphia Nicholas Van Dyke ( September 25 1738 &ndash February 19 1789) was an American Lawyer and Politician from John Hanson ( November 22 1783 was a delegate to the United States in Congress Assembled from Maryland. Daniel Carroll is also the birth name of entertainer Danny La Rue Daniel Carroll ( July 22 1730 July 5 The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Richard Henry Lee (January 20 1732 June 19 1794 was an American statesman from Virginia best known for proposing the motion in the Second Continental John Banister may refer to John Banister (anatomist (1533–1610] English anatomist John Banister (composer (1630–1679 English composer Thomas Adams (1730 - August 1788 was a politician and businessman from Virginia. John Harvie ( 1742 - February 6, 1807) was an American lawyer and builder from Virginia. Hon Francis Lightfoot Lee ( October 14, 1734 &ndash January 11, 1797) was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States John Penn (May 17 1741 September 14 1788 was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of North Carolina Cornelius Harnett ( 20 April, 1723 &ndash April 28, 1781) was an American merchant farmer and statesman from Wilmington North John Williams ( March 14, 1731 - October 10, 1799) was a signer of the United States ' Articles of Confederation. South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. Henry Laurens (March 6 1724 December 8 1792 was an American merchant and rice planter from South Carolina who became a political leader during the Revolutionary Other notable men have similar names see William Drayton (disambiguation. John Mathews (1744&ndash November 17, 1802) was an American lawyer from Charleston South Carolina. Richard Hutson ( July 9, 1748 &ndash April 12, 1795) was an American lawyer judge and politician from Charleston South Carolina Thomas Heyward Jr (July 28 1746 &ndash March 6 1809 was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and of the Articles of Confederation The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule John Walton (1738 - 1783 was a Georgia delegate to the Continental Congress. Edward Tellfair (1735&ndash September 17, 1807) was governor of the state of Georgia in 1786 and 1790-1793 Edward Langworthy (1738&ndash1802 was an American teacher who was a delegate to the Continental Congress from Georgia. The Continental Association, often known simply as the "Association" was a system created by the First Continental Congress in 1774 for implementing a trade boycott The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States.

² One of only 2 people to sign three of the great state papers of the United States: the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States.

³ One of only 4 people to sign both the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States.

Presidents of the Congress

The following list is of those who led the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation as the Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled. The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America from March 1, The President of the Continental Congress was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, the convention of delegates that emerged as the first national government Under the Articles, the president was the presiding officer of Congress, chaired the Cabinet (the Committee of the States) when Congress was in recess, and performed other administrative functions. He was not, however, a chief executive in the way the successor President of the United States is a chief executive, but all of the functions he executed were under the auspices and in service of the Congress. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by

• Samuel Huntington (March 1, 1781 – July 9, 1781)
• Thomas McKean (July 10, 1781 – November 4, 1781)
• John Hanson (November 5, 1781 – November 3, 1782)
• Elias Boudinot (November 4, 1782 – November 2, 1783)
• Thomas Mifflin (November 3, 1783 – October 31, 1784)
• Richard Henry Lee (November 30, 1784 – November 6, 1785)
• John Hancock (November 23, 1785 – May 29, 1786)
• Nathaniel Gorham (June 6, 1786 – November 5, 1786)
• Arthur St. Clair (February 2, 1787 – November 4, 1787)
• Cyrus Griffin (January 22, 1788 – November 2, 1788)

For a full list of Presidents of the Congress Assembled and Presidents under the two Continental Congresses before the Articles, see President of the Continental Congress. Samuel Huntington ( January 5 1796 was an American jurist statesman and revolutionary leader from Connecticut. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Thomas McKean (March 19 1734 June 24 1817 was an American Lawyer and Politician from New Castle, Delaware, and Philadelphia Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common John Hanson ( November 22 1783 was a delegate to the United States in Congress Assembled from Maryland. Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Elias Boudinot Jr (1740 1821 was an early American lawyer and statesman from Elizabeth New Jersey who was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 1783 ( MDCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Thomas Mifflin (January 10 1744 &ndash January 20 1800 was an American Merchant and Politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. Year 1783 ( MDCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 1784 ( MDCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Richard Henry Lee (January 20 1732 June 19 1794 was an American statesman from Virginia best known for proposing the motion in the Second Continental Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 1784 ( MDCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 1785 ( MDCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common John Hancock ( October 8 1793 was a Massachusetts merchant and prominent patriot of the American Revolution. Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Year 1785 ( MDCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1786 ( MDCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Nathaniel Gorham (May 27 1738 – June 11 1796 was the eighth President of the United States in Congress assembled, under the Articles of Confederation. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 1786 ( MDCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1786 ( MDCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Arthur St Clair (March 23 1736 August 31 1818 was the ninth President of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation, a general in the Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Year 1787 ( MDCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 1787 ( MDCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Cyrus Griffin (July 16 1749 December 14 1810 was the tenth and last President of the United States in Congress assembled under the Articles of Confederation Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap The President of the Continental Congress was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, the convention of delegates that emerged as the first national government

Gallery

Articles of Confederation, page 1	Articles of Confederation, page 2	Articles of Confederation, page 3	Articles of Confederation, page 4
Articles of Confederation, page 5

Revision and replacement

In May 1786, Charles Pinckney of South Carolina proposed that Congress revise the Articles of Confederation. Charles Pinckney ( October 26, 1757 &ndash October 12, 1824) was an American politician who was a signer of the United States Constitution South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. Recommended changes included granting Congress power over foreign and domestic commerce, and providing means for Congress to collect money from state treasuries. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses Unanimous approval was necessary to make the alterations, however, and Congress failed to reach a consensus.

In September, five states assembled in the Annapolis Convention to discuss adjustments that would improve commerce. The Annapolis Convention was a meeting at Annapolis Maryland of 12 delegates from five states ( New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania Under their chairman, Alexander Hamilton, they invited state representatives to convene in Philadelphia to discuss improvements to the federal government. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Although the states' representatives to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia were only authorized to amend the Articles, the representatives held secret, closed-door sessions and wrote a new constitution. The Philadelphia Convention (now also known as the Constitutional Convention, the Federal Convention, or the " Grand Convention at Philadelphia The new Constitution gave much more power to the central government, but characterization of the result is disputed. Historian Forrest McDonald, using the ideas of James Madison from Federalist 39, describes the change this way:

The constitutional reallocation of powers created a new form of government, unprecedented under the sun. Every previous national authority either had been centralized or else had been a confederation of sovereign states. The new American system was neither one nor the other; it was a mixture of both. ^[6]

Historian Ralph Ketcham comments on the opinions of Patrick Henry, George Mason, and other antifederalists who were not so eager to give up the local autonomy won by the revolution:

Antifederalists feared what Patrick Henry termed the "consolidated government" proposed by the new Constitution. Patrick Henry ( May 29, 1736 June 6, 1799) was a prominent figure in the American Revolution, known and remembered for his " George Mason IV ( December 11, 1725 &ndash October 7, 1792) was a United States patriot, statesman and delegate from They saw in Federalist hopes for commercial growth and international prestige only the lust of ambitious men for a "splendid empire" that, in the time-honored way of empires, would oppress the people with taxes, conscription, and military campaigns. Uncertain that any government over so vast a domain as the United States could be controlled by the people, Antifederalists saw in the enlarged powers of the general government only the familiar threats to the rights and liberties of the people. ^[7]

According to their own terms for modification (Article XIII), the Articles would still have been in effect until 1790, the year in which the last of the 13 states ratified the new Constitution. The Congress under the Articles continued to sit until November 1788,^{[8][9][10][11]} overseeing the adoption of the new Constitution by the states, and setting elections.

Historians have given many reasons for the perceived need to replace the articles in 1787. Jillson and Wilson (1994) point to the financial weakness as well as the norms, rules and institutional structures of the Congress, and the propensity to divide along sectional lines.

Rakove (1988) identifies several factors that explain the collapse of the Confederation. The lack of compulsory direct taxation power was objectionable to those wanting a strong centralized state or expecting to benefit from such power. It could not collect customs after the war because tariffs were vetoed by Rhode Island. Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States Rakove concludes that their failure to implement national measures "stemmed not from a heady sense of independence but rather from the enormous difficulties that all the states encountered in collecting taxes, mustering men, and gathering supplies from a war-weary populace. "^[12] The second group of factors Rakove identified derived from the substantive nature of the problems the Continental Congress confronted after 1783, especially the inability to create a strong foreign policy. Finally, the Confederation's lack of coercive power reduced the likelihood for profit to be made by political means, thus potential rulers were uninspired to seek power.

When the war ended in 1783, certain special interests had incentives to create a new "merchant state," much like the British state people had rebelled against. In particular, holders of war scrip and land speculators wanted a central government to pay off scrip at face value and to legalize western land holdings with disputed claims. Also, manufacturers wanted a high tariff as a barrier to foreign goods, but competition among states made this impossible without a central government.

Notes

References

• R. B. Bernstein, "Parliamentary Principles, American Realities: The Continental and Confederation Congresses, 1774-1789," in Inventing Congress: Origins & Establishment Of First Federal Congress ed by Kenneth R. Bowling and Donald R. Kennon (1999) pp 76-108
• Burnett, Edmund Cody. The Continental Congress: A Definitive History of the Continental Congress From Its Inception in 1774 to March, 1789 (1941)
• Barbara Feinberg, The Articles Of Confederation (2002). [for middle school children. ]
• Robert W. Hoffert, A Politics of Tensions: The Articles of Confederation and American Political Ideas (1992).
• Lucille E. Horgan. Forged in War: The Continental Congress and the Origin of Military Supply and Acquisition Policy (2002)
• Merrill Jensen, The Articles of Confederation: An Interpretation of the Social-Constitutional History of the American Revolution, 1774-1781 (1959).
• Merrill Jensen: "The Idea of a National Government During the American Revolution", Political Science Quarterly, 58 (1943), 356-79. online at JSTOR
• Calvin Jillson and Rick K. Wilson. Congressional Dynamics: Structure, Coordination, and Choice in the First American Congress, 1774-1789. (1994)
• Forest McDonald. Novus Ordo Seclorum: The Intellectual Origins of the Constitution. (1985)
• Andrew C. Mclaughlin, A Constitutional History of the United States (1935) online version
• Pauline Maier, American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence (1998).
• Jackson T. Main, Political Parties before the Constitution. University of North Carolina Press, 1974
• Jack N. Rakove, The Beginnings of National Politics: An Interpretive History of the Continental Congress (1982).
• Jack N. Rakove, “The Collapse of the Articles of Confederation,” in The American Founding: Essays on the Formation of the Constitution. Ed by J. Jackson Barlow, Leonard W. Levy and Ken Masugi. Greenwood Press. 1988. Pp 225-45 ISBN 0313256101

Further reading

• Klos, Stanley L. (2004). President Who? Forgotten Founders. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Evisum, Inc. , 261. ISBN 0-9752627-5-0.  

See also

• History of the United States
• United States Declaration of Independence
• United States Constitution
• United States Bill of Rights

External links

• Text Version of the Articles of Confederation
• Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
• Articles of Confederation and related resources, Library of Congress
• Today in History: November 15, Library of Congress
• United States Constitution Online - The Articles of Confederation
• Free Download of Articles of Confederation Audio
• Audio narration (mp3) of the Articles of Confederation at Americana Phonic
• The Articles of Confederation, Chapter 45 (see page 253) of Volume 4 of Conceived in Liberty by Murray Rothbard, in PDF format. The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. In the United States the Bill of Rights is the name by which the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are known The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress Conceived in Liberty, authored by Murray Rothbard, is a 4-volume set covering the complete history of the United States from the pre-colonial period Murray Newton Rothbard (March 2 1926 – January 7 1995 was an American economist of the Austrian School who helped define modern Libertarianism