To all whom these presents shall come, we the undersigned
Delegates of the States affixed to our Names, send greeting.

Whereas the Delegates  of the United  States of America,  in
Congress assembled, did, on the 15th day of November, in the
Year of Our Lord One thousand and Seventy seven, and in  the
Second Year of the Independence of America, agree to certain
Articles of  Confederation and  perpetual Union  between the
States of  Newhampshire, Massachusetts-bay,  Rhodeisland and
Providence Plantations, Connecticut,  New York, New  Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,  North-Carolina,
South-Carolina,  and  Georgia  in  the words following, viz.
"Articles of Confederation  and perpetual Union  between the
States of  Newhampshire, Massachusetts-bay,  Rhodeisland and
Providence Plantations, Connecticut,  New York, New  Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,  North-Carolina,
South-Carolina, and Georgia.

The stile of  this confederacy shall  be "The United  States
of America."

Each state  retains its  sovereignty, freedom,  and indepen-
dence, and every  Power,  Jurisdiction  and right, which  is
not by this confederation expressly delegated to the  United
States, in Congress assembled.

The said states hereby severally enter into a firm league of
friendship with each other,  for their common defence,   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 pretence whatever.

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,  pau-
pers, vagabonds and  fugitives from justice  excepted, shall
be entitled to all  privileges and immunities of  free citi-
zens in the  several states:   and the people  of each state
shall have 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,  pro-
vided that such  restriction 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;  pro-
vided 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 the  offence.
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.

For the more convenient management of the general  interests
of the united states, delegates shall be annually  appointed
in such manner  as the legislature  of each state  shall di-
rect, to meet in Congress  on the first Monday in  November,
in every year, with a power reserved to each state, to recal
(recall) its delegates, or any  of them, at any time  within
the year, and to send others in their stead, for the remain-
der of the year.

No state shall be represented in Congress by less than  two,
nor by more than seven Members; and no person shall be  cap-
able 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 im-
peached or  questioned in  any Court,  or place  out of Con-
gress, and  the Members  of congress  shall be  protected in
their  persons  from  arrests  and imprisonments, during the
time of their going to and from, and attendance on congress,
except for treason, felony, or breach of the peace.

No state, without the consent  of the united states in  con-
gress 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,  emolu-
ment, 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, confeder-
ation or alliance whatever between them, without the consent
of the united states in congress assembled, specifying accu-
rately the purposes for which the same is to be entered  in-
to, and how long it shall continue.

No state shall lay any  imposts or duties, which may  inter-
fere 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 or Spain.

No vessels 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  defence
of such state or its trade; nor shall any body or 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 defence  of such  state; but  every state
shall always keep up a well regulated and disciplined  mili-
tia, sufficiently armed and accoutred, and shall provide and
constantly have ready for use, in public stores, a due  num-
ber of  field 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 In-
dians 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  com-
missions 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 regu-
lations as shall be established by the united states in con-
gress assembled, unless such  state be infested by  pirates,
in which case vessels of war may be fitted out for that  oc-
casion, and kept  so long as  the danger shall  continue, or
until  the  united  states  in  congress  assembled,   shall
determine otherwise.

When land  forces are  raised by  any state  for the  common
defence, 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.

All charges  of war,  and all  other expenses  that shall be
incurred  for  the  common  defence  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 to 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  lev-
ied by the  authority and direction  of the legislatures  of
the several states within the time agreed upon by the united
states in congress assembled.

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 pi-
racies and felonies  committed on the  high seas and  estab-
lishing courts for receiving and determining finally appeals
in all cases  of captures, provided  that no member  of con-
gress 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  boundaries,  jurisdiction  or  any other
cause 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  commission-
ers or  judges, to  hear and  finally determine  the contro-
versy, 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 suf-
ficient, or being present  shall refuse to strike,  the con-
gress 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  the
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  judge-
ment, 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 deter-
mine the matter  in question, according  to the best  of his
judgement,  without  favour,  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  orig-
inated 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  prescribed for deciding  dis-
putes 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 standard 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 thro' the same as may be  req-
uisite to defray the expenses of the said office -  appoint-
ing all officers of the  land forces, in the service  of the
united states,  excepting regimental  officers -  appointing
all  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 manag-
ing the general affairs of the united states under their di-
rection - to appoint one of their number to preside, provid-
ed that no person be allowed to serve in the office of pres-
ident more than one year in any term of three years; to  as-
certain 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  there-
upon the legislature of  each state shall appoint  the regi-
mental officers,  raise the  men and  cloath, arm  and equip
them in a soldier 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  than
its quota, and that any  other state should raise a  greater
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 such state, unless the
legislature  of  such  state  shall  judge  that  such extra
number cannot  be safely  spared out  of the  same, in which
case they shall raise officer, cloath, arm and equip as many
of such  extra number  as they  judge can  be safely spared.
And the officers  and men so  cloathed, armed and  equipped,
shall march to the place appointed.

The united states in  congress assembled shall never  engage
in a war, nor grant  letters or marque and 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 defence and  welfare of
the united states, or any of them, nor emit bills, nor  bor-
row money on the credit of the united states, nor  appropri-
ate 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 state 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 a  majority of
the united states in congress assembled.

The congress of  the united states  shall have power  to ad-
journ 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 pub-
lish 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
delegate; and the 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  except-
ed, to lay before the legislatures of the several states.

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 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
is requisite.

Canada acceding  to this  confederation, and  joining 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 admis-
sion be agreed to by nine states.

All bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed and debts  con-
tracted 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 pledged.

Every state shall abide by the determinations 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  legisla-
tures 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  respec-
tive  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  re-
spectively represent, and that the union shall be perpetual.
In witness whereof  we have hereunto  set our hands  in Con-
gress.  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.

John Bartlett, John Wentworth, junior
August 8th, 1778
State of New Hampshire

John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, Francis Dana,
James Lovell, Samuel Holten,
State of Massachusetts

William Ellery, Henry Marchant, John Collins,
State of Rhode-Island

Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, Oliver Wolcott, Titus
Hosmer, Andrew Adams,
State of Connecticut

Ja Duane, Fra: Lewis, Wm. Duer, Gouv. Morris,
State of New York

Jn. Witherspoon, Nath. Scudder,
November 26th, 1778
State of New Jersey

Robert Morris, Daniel Roberdeau, Jon. Bayard Smith, William
Clingar, Joseph Reed,
22d July, 1778
State of Pennsylvania

Tho. McKean,
Feb 22d 1779, John Dickinson,
May 5th, 1779, Nicholas Van Dyke,
State of Delaware

John Hanson,
March 1, 1781, Daniel Carroll, do
State of Maryland

Richard Henry Lee, John Banister, Thomas Adams Jn. Harvie,
Francis Lightfoot Lee,
State of Virginia

John Penn,
July 21st, 1778, Corn. Harnett, Jn. Williams,
State of North Carolina

Henry Laurens, William Henry Drayton, Jn. Mathews, Rich.
Hutson, Tho. Heyward, jun
State of South Carolina

Jn. Walton,
24th July, 1778, Edw. Telfair, Edw. Langworthy,
State of Georgia

The proceedings of this day  with respect to the signing  of
the Articles of  Confederation, the Articles  themselves and
the signers are  entered in the  "Papers of the  Continental
Congress, No.  9 (History of the Confederation)", but not in
the Journal itself.  The Articles are printed here from  the
original roll in the bureau of Rolls and Library, Department
of State.