    [United States Senate Manual, 117th Congress]
    [S. Doc. 117-1]
    [Historical Documents]
    [Pages 537-538]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 537]]

                                           [1701]

                ____________________________________________________________

                                  ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

                ____________________________________________________________

                                    HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

                    While the Declaration of Independence was under
                consideration in the Continental Congress, and before it was
                finally agreed upon, measures were taken for the
                establishment of a constitutional form of government; and on
                the 11th of June, 1776, it was ``Resolved, That a committee
                be appointed to prepare and digest the form of a
                confederation to be entered into between these Colonies'';
                which committee was appointed the next day, June 12, and
                consisted of a member from each Colony, namely: Mr.
                Bartlett, Mr. S. Adams, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Sherman, Mr. R. R.
                Livingston, Mr. Dickinson, Mr. McKean, Mr. Stone, Mr.
                Nelson, Mr. Hewes, Mr. E. Rutledge, and Mr. Gwinnett. On the
                12th of July, 1776, the committee reported a draft of the
                Articles of Confederation, which was printed for the use of
                the members under the strictest injunctions of secrecy.
                    This report underwent a thorough discussion in Congress,
                from time to time, until the 15th of November, 1777; on
                which day, ``Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union''
                were finally agreed to in form, and they were directed to be
                proposed to the legislatures of all the United States, and
                if approved by them, they were advised to authorize their
                delegates to ratify the same in the Congress of the United
                States; and in that event they were to become conclusive. On
                the 17th of November, 1777, the Congress agreed upon the
                form of a circular letter to accompany the Articles of
                Confederation, which concluded with a recommendation to each
                of the several legislatures ``to invest its delegates with
                competent powers, ultimately, and in the name and behalf of
                the State, to subscribe articles of confederation and
                perpetual union of the United States, and to attend Congress
                for that purpose on or before the 10th day of March next.''
                This letter was signed by the President of Congress and
                sent, with a copy of the articles, to each State
                legislature.
                    On the 26th of June, 1778, Congress agreed upon the form
                of a ratification of the Articles of Confederation, and
                directed a copy of the articles and the ratification to be
                engrossed on parchment; which, on the 9th of July, 1778,
                having been examined and the blanks filled, was signed by
                the delegates of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode
                Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York,
                Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina. Congress then
                directed that a circular letter be addressed to the States
                whose delegates were not present, or being present,
                conceived they were not authorized to sign the ratification,
                informing them how many and what States had ratified the
                Articles of Confederation, and desiring them, with all
                convenient dispatch, to authorize their delegates to ratify
                the same. Of these States,

    [[Page 538]]

                North Carolina ratified on the 21st and Georgia on the 24th
                of July, 1778; New Jersey on the 26th of November following;
                Delaware on the 5th of May, 1779; Maryland on the 1st of
                March, 1781; and on the 2d of March, 1781, Congress
                assembled under the new form of government.
                                  articles of confederation

                articles of confederation