Articles of Confederation : March 1, 1781

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
ampshire, !assachusetts"ba# $hode %sland and Pro&idence Plantations,
Connecticut, New 'or(, New )erse#, Penns#l&ania, Delaware, !ar#land, *irginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina and +eorgia.
I.
The Stile of this Confederac# shall be
"The United States of America".
II.
,ach state retains its so&ereignt#, freedom, and independence, and e&er#
power, -urisdiction, and right, which is not b# this Confederation expressl# delegated
to the United States, in Congress assembled.
III.
The said States hereb# se&erall# enter into a firm league of friendship with each
other, for their common defense, the securit# of their liberties, and their mutual and
general welfare, binding themsel&es to assist each other, against all force offered to,
or attac(s made upon them, or an# of them, on account of religion, so&ereignt#,
trade, or an# other pretense whate&er.
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, &agabonds, and fugiti&es from -ustice excepted, shall be entitled to
all pri&ileges and immunities of free citi.ens in the se&eral States/ and the people of
each State shall free ingress and regress to and from an# other State, and shall
en-o# therein all the pri&ileges of trade and commerce, sub-ect to the same duties,
impositions, and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof respecti&el#, pro&ided that
such restrictions shall not extend so far as to pre&ent the remo&al of propert#
imported into an# State, to an# other State, of which the owner is an inhabitant/
pro&ided also that no imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid b# an# State, on
the propert# of the United States, or either of them.
%f an# person guilt# of, or charged with, treason, felon#, or other high
misdemeanor in an# State, shall flee from -ustice, and be found in an# of the United
States, he shall, upon demand of the +o&ernor or executi&e power of the State from
which he fled, be deli&ered up and remo&ed to the State ha&ing -urisdiction of his
offense.
0ull faith and credit shall be gi&en in each of these States to the records, acts,
and -udicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates of e&er# other State.
V.
0or the most con&enient management of the general interests of the United
States, delegates shall be annuall# appointed in such manner as the legislatures of
each State shall direct, to meet in Congress on the first !onda# in No&ember, in
e&er# #ear, with a powerreser&ed to each State to recall its delegates, or an# of
them, at an# time within the #ear, and to send others in their stead for the remainder
of the #ear.
No State shall be represented in Congress b# less than two, nor more than
se&en members/ and no person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than
three #ears in an# term of six #ears/ nor shall an# person, being a delegate, be
capable of holding an# office under the United States, for which he, or another for his
benefit, recei&es an# salar#, fees or emolument of an# (ind.
,ach State shall maintain its own delegates in a meeting of the States, and while
the# act as members of the committee of the States.
%n determining 1uestions in the United States in Congress assembled, each
State shall ha&e one &ote.
0reedom of speech and debate in Congress shall not be impeached or
1uestioned in an# 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, felon#, or
breach of the peace.
VI.
No State, without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, shall
send an# embass# to, or recei&e an# embass# from, or enter into an# conference,
agreement, alliance or treat# with an# 2ing, Prince or State/ nor shall an# person
holding an# office of profit or trust under the United States, or an# of them, accept
an# present, emolument, office or title of an# (ind whate&er from an# 2ing, Prince or
foreign State/ nor shall the United States in Congress assembled, or an# of them,
grant an# title of nobilit#.
No two or more States shall enter into an# treat#, confederation or alliance
whate&er between them, without the consent of the United States in Congress
assembled, specif#ing accuratel# the purposes for which the same is to be entered
into, and how long it shall continue.
No State shall la# an# imposts or duties, which ma# interfere with an#
stipulations in treaties, entered into b# the United States in Congress assembled,
with an# 2ing, Prince or State, in pursuance of an# treaties alread# proposed b#
Congress, to the courts of 0rance and Spain.
No &essel of war shall be (ept up in time of peace b# an# State, except such
number onl#, as shall be deemed necessar# b# the United States in Congress
assembled, for the defense of such State, or its trade/ nor shall an# bod# of forces
be (ept up b# an# State in time of peace, except such number onl#, as in the
-udgement of the United States in Congress assembled, shall be deemed re1uisite to
garrison the forts necessar# for the defense of such State/ but e&er# State shall
alwa#s (eep up a well"regulated and disciplined militia, sufficientl# armed and
accoutered, and shall pro&ide and constantl# ha&e read# for use, in public stores, a
due number of filed pieces and tents, and a proper 1uantit# of arms, ammunition and
camp e1uipage.
No State shall engage in an# war without the consent of the United States in
Congress assembled, unless such State be actuall# in&aded b# enemies, or shall
ha&e recei&ed certain ad&ice of a resolution being formed b# some nation of %ndians
to in&ade such State, and the danger is so imminent as not to admit of a dela# till the
United States in Congress assembled can be consulted/ nor shall an# State grant
commissions to an# ships or &essels of war, nor letters of mar1ue or reprisal, except
it be after a declaration of war b# the United States in Congress assembled, and
then onl# against the 2ingdom or State and the sub-ects thereof, against which war
has been so declared, and under such regulations as shall be established b# the
United States in Congress assembled, unless such State be infested b# pirates, in
which case &essels of war ma# be fitted out for that occasion, and (ept so long as
the danger shall continue, or until the United States in Congress assembled shall
determine otherwise.
VII.
3hen land forces are raised b# an# State for the common defense, all officers of
or under the ran( of colonel, shall be appointed b# the legislature of each State
respecti&el#, b# whom such forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such State
shall direct, and all &acancies shall be filled up b# 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 b# the United States in Congress
assembled, shall be defra#ed out of a common treasur#, which shall be supplied b#
the se&eral States in proportion to the &alue of all land within each State, granted or
sur&e#ed for an# person, as such land and the buildings and impro&ements 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 pa#ing that proportion shall be laid and le&ied b# the authorit# and
direction of the legislatures of the se&eral States within the time agreed upon b# the
United States in Congress assembled.
IX.
The United States in Congress assembled, shall ha&e the sole and exclusi&e
right and power of determining on peace and war, except in the cases mentioned in
the sixth article "" of sending and recei&ing ambassadors "" entering into treaties and
alliances, pro&ided that no treat# of commerce shall be made whereb# the legislati&e
power of the respecti&e States shall be restrained from imposing such imposts and
duties on foreigners, as their own people are sub-ected to, or from prohibiting the
exportation or importation of an# species of goods or commodities whatsoe&er "" of
establishing rules for deciding in all cases, what captures on land or water shall be
legal, and in what manner pri.es ta(en b# land or na&al forces in the ser&ice of the
United States shall be di&ided or appropriated "" of granting letters of mar1ue and
reprisal in times of peace "" appointing courts for the trial of piracies and felonies
commited on the high seas and establishing courts for recei&ing and determining
finall# appeals in all cases of captures, pro&ided that no member of Congress shall
be appointed a -udge of an# 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 ma# arise between
two or more States concerning boundar#, -urisdiction or an# other causes whate&er/
which authorit# shall alwa#s be exercised in the manner following. 3hene&er the
legislati&e or executi&e authorit# or lawful agent of an# State in contro&ers# with
another shall present a petition to Congress stating the matter in 1uestion and
pra#ing for a hearing, notice thereof shall be gi&en b# order of Congress to the
legislati&e or executi&e authorit# of the other State in contro&ers#, and a da#
assigned for the appearance of the parties b# their lawful agents, who shall then be
directed to appoint b# -oint consent, commissioners or -udges to constitute a court for
hearing and determining the matter in 1uestion4 but if the# cannot agree, Congress
shall name three persons out of each of the United States, and from the list of such
persons each part# shall alternatel# stri(e out one, the petitioners beginning, until the
number shall be reduced to thirteen/ and from that number not less than se&en, nor
more than nine names as Congress shall direct, shall in the presence of Congress
be drawn out b# lot, and the persons whose names shall be so drawn or an# fi&e of
them, shall be commissioners or -udges, to hear and finall# determine the
contro&ers#, so alwa#s as a ma-or part of the -udges who shall hear the cause shall
agree in the determination4 and if either part# shall neglect to attend at the da#
appointed, without showing reasons, which Congress shall -udge sufficient, or being
present shall refuse to stri(e, the Congress shall proceed to nominate three persons
out of each State, and the secretar# of Congress shall stri(e in behalf of such part#
absent or refusing/ and the -udgement and sentence of the court to be appointed, in
the manner before prescribed, shall be final and conclusi&e/ and if an# of the parties
shall refuse to submit to the authorit# of such court, or to appear or defend their
claim or cause, the court shall ne&ertheless proceed to pronounce sentence, or
-udgement, which shall in li(e manner be final and decisi&e, the -udgement or
sentence and other proceedings being in either case transmitted to Congress, and
lodged among the acts of Congress for the securit# of the parties concerned4
pro&ided that e&er# commissioner, before he sits in -udgement, shall ta(e an oath to
be administered b# one of the -udges of the supreme or superior court of the State,
where the cause shall be tried, 5well and trul# to hear and determine the matter in
1uestion, according to the best of his -udgement, without fa&or, affection or hope of
reward54 pro&ided also, that no State shall be depri&ed of territor# for the benefit of
the United States.
All contro&ersies concerning the pri&ate right of soil claimed under different
grants of two or more States, whose -urisdictions as the# ma# respect such lands,
and the States which passed such grants are ad-usted, the said grants or either of
them being at the same time claimed to ha&e originated antecedent to such
settlement of -urisdiction, shall on the petition of either part# to the Congress of the
United States, be finall# determined as near as ma# be in the same manner as is
before presecribed for deciding disputes respecting territorial -urisdiction between
different States.
The United States in Congress assembled shall also ha&e the sole and exclusi&e
right and power of regulating the allo# and &alue of coin struc( b# their own authorit#,
or b# that of the respecti&e States "" fixing the standards of weights and measures
throughout the United States "" regulating the trade and managing all affairs with the
%ndians, not members of an# of the States, pro&ided that the legislati&e right of an#
State within its own limits be not infringed or &iolated "" 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 ma# be re1uisite to defra#
the expenses of the said office "" appointing all officers of the land forces, in the
ser&ice of the United States, excepting regimental officers "" appointing all the
officers of the na&al forces, and commissioning all officers whate&er in the ser&ice of
the United States "" ma(ing rules for the go&ernment and regulation of the said land
and na&al forces, and directing their operations.
The United States in Congress assembled shall ha&e authorit# to appoint a
committee, to sit in the recess of Congress, to be denominated 5A Committee of the
States5, and to consist of one delegate from each State/ and to appoint such other
committees and ci&il officers as ma# be necessar# for managing the general affairs
of the United States under their direction "" to appoint one of their members to
preside, pro&ided that no person be allowed to ser&e in the office of president more
than one #ear in an# term of three #ears/ to ascertain the necessar# sums of mone#
to be raised for the ser&ice of the United States, and to appropriate and appl# the
same for defra#ing the public expenses "" to borrow mone#, or emit bills on the credit
of the United States, transmitting e&er# half"#ear to the respecti&e States an account
of the sums of mone# so borrowed or emitted "" to build and e1uip a na&# "" to agree
upon the number of land forces, and to ma(e re1uisitions from each State for its
1uota, in proportion to the number of white inhabitants in such State/ which
re1uisition shall be binding, and thereupon the legislature of each State shall appoint
the regimental officers, raise the men and cloath, arm and e1uip them in a solid"li(e
manner, at the expense of the United States/ and the officers and men so cloathed,
armed and e1uipped shall march to the place appointed, and within the time agreed
on b# the United States in Congress assembled. 6ut if the United States in Congress
assembled shall, on consideration of circumstances -udge proper that an# State
should not raise men, or should raise a smaller number of men than the 1uota
thereof, such extra number shall be raised, officered, cloathed, armed and e1uipped
in the same manner as the 1uota of each State, unless the legislature of such State
shall -udge that such extra number cannot be safel# spread out in the same, in which
case the# shall raise, officer, cloath, arm and e1uip as man# of such extra number as
the# -udeg can be safel# spared. And the officers and men so cloathed, armed, and
e1uipped, shall march to the place appointed, and within the time agreed on b# the
United States in Congress assembled.
The United States in Congress assembled shall ne&er engage in a war, nor
grant letters of mar1ue or reprisal in time of peace, nor enter into an# treaties or
alliances, nor coin mone#, nor regulate the &alue thereof, nor ascertain the sums and
expenses necessar# for the defense and welfare of the United States, or an# of
them, nor emit bills, nor borrow mone# on the credit of the United States, nor
appropriate mone#, nor agree upon the number of &essels 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 arm# or na&#, unless nine States assent to the same4 nor
shall a 1uestion on an# other point, except for ad-ourning from da# to da# be
determined, unless b# the &otes of the ma-orit# of the United States in Congress
assembled.
The Congress of the United States shall ha&e power to ad-ourn to an# time
within the #ear, and to an# place within the United States, so that no period of
ad-ournment be for a longer duration than the space of six months, and shall publish
the -ournal of their proceedings monthl#, except such parts thereof relating to
treaties, alliances or militar# operations, as in their -udgement re1uire secrec#/ and
the #eas and na#s of the delegates of each State on an# 1uestion shall be entered
on the -ournal, when it is desired b# an# delegates of a State, or an# of them, at his
or their re1uest shall be furnished with a transcript of the said -ournal, except such
parts as are abo&e excepted, to la# before the legislatures of the se&eral States.
X.
The Committee of the States, or an# nine of them, shall be authori.ed to
execute, in the recess of Congress, such of the powers of Congress as the United
States in Congress assembled, b# the consent of the nine States, shall from time to
time thin( expedient to &est them with/ pro&ided that no power be delegated to the
said Committee, for the exercise of which, b# the Articles of Confederation, the &oice
of nine States in the Congress of the United States assembled be re1uisite.
XI.
Canada acceding to this confederation, and ad-oining in the measures of the
United States, shall be admitted into, and entitled to all the ad&antages of this Union/
but no other colon# shall be admitted into the same, unless such admission be
agreed to b# nine States.
XII.
All bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed, and debts contracted b#, or under
the authorit# 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 pa#ment and satisfaction whereof the said United States, and
the public faith are hereb# solemnl# pleged.
XIII.
,&er# State shall abide b# the determination of the United States in Congress
assembled, on all 1uestions which b# this confederation are submitted to them. And
the Articles of this Confederation shall be in&iolabl# obser&ed b# e&er# State, and the
Union shall be perpetual/ nor shall an# alteration at an# time hereafter be made in
an# of them/ unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States,
and be afterwards confirmed b# the legislatures of e&er# State.
And 3hereas it hath pleased the +reat +o&ernor of the 3orld to incline the
hearts of the legislatures we respecti&el# represent in Congress, to appro&e of, and
to authori.e us to ratif# the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union. 2now
'e that we the undersigned delegates, b# &irtue of the power and authorit# to us
gi&en for that purpose, do b# these presents, in the name and in behalf of our
respecti&e constituents, full# and entirel# ratif# and confirm each and e&er# of the
said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union, and all and singular the matters
and things therein contained4 And we do further solemnl# plight and engage the faith
of our respecti&e constituents, that the# shall abide b# the determinations of the
United States in Congress assembled, on all 1uestions, which b# the said
Confederation are submitted to them. And that the Articles thereof shall be in&iolabl#
obser&ed b# the States we respecti&el# represent, and that the Union shall be
perpetual.
%n 3itness whereof we ha&e hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at
Philadelphia in the State of Penns#l&ania the ninth da# of )ul# in the 'ear of our 7ord
8ne Thousand Se&en undred and Se&ent#",ight, and in the Third 'ear of the
independence of America.
Agreed to b# Congress 9: No&ember 9;;; %n force after ratification b# !ar#land,
9 !arch 9;<9
Source4
Documents %llustrati&e of the 0ormation of the Union of the American States.
+o&ernment Printing 8ffice, 9=>;.
ouse Document No. ?=<.
Selected, Arranged and %ndexed b# Charles C. Tansill