新罕布什尔、马萨诸塞湾、罗得岛及普罗维登斯种植地、康涅狄格、纽约，新泽西、宾夕法尼亚、特拉华、马里兰、弗吉尼亚、北卡罗来纳、南卡罗来纳和佐治亚诸州间之邦联及永久联盟条款。
　　第一条 邦联之名称定为“美利坚合众国”
　　第二条 凡未经本邦盟召集之国会明确授予合众国者外，各州保留其主权、自由与独立及所有权能、领域与权利。
　　第三条 上述各州为了组织共同防御、保卫其自由，并为共谋福利，各自加入互相友好之巩固联盟，承担互相协助以抵抗由于宗教、主权、贸易，或任何借口对上述各州或其中任何一州所施加之压力或攻击。
　　第四条 为了更好建立并维系联盟各州人民间之相互友谊与交往，除乞丐、流氓与逃犯外，各州自由居民有权享受诸州自由公民之一切特权与豁免权，每州人民并可自由进出任何他州，并将与该州居民一样，在该州内享受一切贸易与商业特权，被课以同样税款、受到同样限制，唯该项限制不得阻止迁入该州之财产转移至财产所有者居住之任何他州；且任何州不得对合众国财产或任一州财产课税或加以限制。
　　如在任何州内之任何犯有或被控犯有叛国罪、重罪或其他严重过失之人在逃，而被合众国任何一州所发现，则在其逃离之州之州长或行政权力机构之要求下，应将其解至对其犯罪享有裁判权之州处理。
　　各州对他州之档案、立法与法院及兼管司法之行政长官之司法程序应给于充分之信任与尊重。
　　第五条 为了更便于管理合众国普遍关切之事宜，各州以州议会决定之方式逐年委任代表，于每年11 月第一个星期一在国会集会，各州保留权力在年内任何时候召回全部代表或任何代表，委派他人更代至年终为止。
　　各州派至国会之代表不得少于二人，亦不得超过七人；任何人在六年之中担任代表不得超过三年，任何人在担任代表期间均不得在合众国政府担任官职，从而使其本人或由他人代为领取薪金。费用或任何报酬。
　　各州在参加各州会议时均有其本身之代表，而各代表同时亦为州际委员会之成员。
　　在国会开会决定合众国之问题时，各州均有一票投票权。
　　代表在国会中之言论与辩论自由不受干涉，亦不得在任何法庭或国会外任何地方对之进行诘难，国会议员除因叛国罪、重罪或破坏治安罪外，在其来往及参加会议时，其人身不受逮捕与监禁。。
　　第六条 未经合众国国会之许可，任何州不得派出或接受任何使节，或与任何国王、君主或国家举行任何会议、订立任何协定、同盟或条约；在合众国或各州领薪或受委担任职务之任何个人均不得接受任何国王、君主或国家之任何赠与、报酬、职务或爵衔；合众国国会或各州均不得授与任何贵族爵衔。
　　未经合众国国会之同意并准确规定其宗旨及期限，任何两州或两州以上之间均不得彼此订立任何条约、或进行任何联合或结盟活动。
　　任何州均不得征收进口税或关税，从而可能妨碍合众国国会根据其已向法兰西及西班牙王朝提出订立之任何条约，与任何国王、君主或国家所订条约之规定。
　　除合众国国会认定为保卫各州及其贸易需要之一定数目之舰只外，任何州于和平时期不得拥有战舰；除合众国国会认定为保卫各州需要之要塞警卫部队外，任何州于和平时期亦不得拥有任何部队；但所有各州应经常维持一支严加管理、遵守纪律、武器装备充足之民兵，且购置并于公用武库中经常备用一定数量之野炮与帐具、适当数量之武器、弹药与营房器材。
　　除非实际遭受敌人入侵，或得到某个印地安部族决议即将入侵之确定消息，且情况紧急不容延缓以俟征得合众国国会同意之外，未得合众国国会之许可，任何州不得进行任何战争；除非在合众国国会宣战之后，任何州不得将任何舰只与战舰编入现役或颁发拘捕或报复性拘捕敌舰令；在宣战后，是项拘捕令亦只能针对交战国与交战国属民，并按照合众国国会制定之规章；惟如该州受到海盗围攻时，可以装备战舰，至危险解除时，或至合众国国会另行决定时为止。
　　第七条 任何州为共同防御目的组建陆军时，一切上校级及其以下各级军官均由组建部队各州州议会委任，或照该州规定方式委任；一切缺额概由最初委任之州填补。
　　第八条 一切战费及为共同防御或普遍福利目的引致之一切开支，经合众国国会批准，应由公共财库中支付。此公共财库之资金由各州按照各州境内之一切土地（而不论已授与任何人或为任何人作过丈量）之价值比例摊派。此项土地及地上之建筑、设施应根据合众国国会随时指定之方式进行估价。各州州议会应于合众国国会决定之时限年指令赋课税款以交纳上述摊派份额。
　　第九条 合众国国会拥有唯一无二之权利及职权决定媾和与战争（第六条所述情况除外）——派遣与接受大使——缔约与结盟（但不得签订商业条约以限制各州对外国人课以与本州人民同样进口税及关税，或禁止任何种类货物或商品进出口之立法权，——确立法则以决定：在各种情况下，陆上或海上之何种捕获物为合法，为合众国服役之陆军或海军之战利品以何种方式分配或上交——在和平时期颁发船只拘捕令及报复性拘捕令——组成审判公海上所犯海盗罪与重罪之法庭，并建立受理与裁判有关捕获品全部案件之最后上诉，唯国会成员不得被委任为上述任何法庭之法官。
　　合众国国会亦为处理二州或二州以上之间有关边界、辖区、或因任何其他原由引起之现存或今后可能发生之争议之最后上诉机关；此项权力应以下列方式实施：——凡一州之立法或行政机关或合法代理人就其与另一州发生争议，向国会提出申诉，陈明争议问题要求予以审理，国会应即下令通知争议中之另一州之立法或行政机关有关事由，通知各方合法代理人于指定日期到场，遂后令其协商一致委派审理员或法官组成法庭以听取意见，并裁定有关争议；如果双方不能取得一致意见，则国会应从合众国各州各提名三人列出名单，争议各方交替从名单中删除一人，由申诉一方开始，一直到名单人数减至十三人为止；从此十三人名单中，按照国会要求，于国会当面用抽签办法，抽出不少于七人、不多于九人之姓名，所抽中之人或其中之任何五人，即行担任审理员或法官以听取并最后裁定有关争议，裁定由听取争议之法官多数同意而成立；如果任何一方于指定日期不到场，且未申明国会认为充足之理由，或虽到场但拒绝前述删除手续，则国会仍应从各州提名三人，国会秘书代表不到或拒绝表态之一方进行删除；如此委任之法庭所作判断与判决即为最后之裁决而不能变更；如任何一方拒绝服从此类法庭之权威，或拒绝出庭申诉其要求或原由，法庭仍得径行宣布判决或判断，此一裁判同样即为最后裁决而不能变更，在两种情况下，其判断或判决以及其他处置均应呈交国会，存入国会法案档内，以代有关争议各方保存：唯每一审理员在出庭审判之前应在审理此案之州之高等法院或最高法院一名法官主持下进行宣誓：“本人尽自己之最大明辩能力，不循私情，不望报酬，充分认真听取并判明有关争议”，且不得剥夺任何州之领土归合众国所有。一切关于私人土地所有权之争议，该土地由二州或二州以上分别颁发与不同之个人，而各州对该土地的管辖权与颁发土地证之各州经过核实，该土地证或每一土地证系在管辖权解决之前颁发，经有关一方向合众国国会申诉，则其解决应尽量采取与上述解决各州间领土管辖权争议相同之办法。
　　合众国国会且亦应有唯一无二之权利与职权规定以本身名义或以各州名义铸造之硬币之合金成分与价值——规定合众国全境之度量衡制——处理与非各州成员之印第安人之贸易与一切事务，唯不得损害或违犯各州在其州界之内之立法权——建立及处理合众国全境中各州间之邮务，并提取邮件来往之邮资以充邮政经费开支——除团级以下军官外，委任合众国陆军之一切军官、委任海军一切军官、授予合众国现役军官军衔——制定管理陆、海军之条例并指挥其作战行动。
　　合众国国会有权在国会休会时任命常设委员会，命名为“州际委员会”，由每州一名代表组成；有权任命其他必要之委员会与文官，在国会指导下总管合众国事务；并任命国会本身一成员为总统，惟任何人不得在任何三年任期中担任总统职务超过一年以上——确定合众国所需开支，并拨款用以支付是项公共开支费用——以合众国名义借贷或发行纸币，每半年向各州报告借贷或发行货币之帐目一次——建设并装备一支海军——协商决定陆军部队人数，按照各州白人居民人数比例向各州征调摊派之兵员；此项征调具有法律效力，各州州议会应即委任团级以下军官、募集兵员、发给军人应具备之服装、武器及装备，其费用概由合众国开支，依上述装备之官兵应在合众国国会规定之时限以内，开赴国会指定之地点；但如合众国国会根据情况决定任何一州不募兵员，或仅募少于其应摊数量之兵员，而另一州应募多于其应摊数量之兵员，则此额外兵员亦应如额内兵员同样募集，派给军官，发给军服，武器、装备，除非该州州议会认为此额外兵员从本州安全考虑不能调出，在此情况下该州应尽其所能募集额外兵员，并配备以军官、军服、武器、装备；如此装备之官兵即应在合众国国会规定之时限内开赴国会指定之地点。
　　除非有九个州同意，合众国国会不得参战、在和平时期不得颁发船只拘捕令或报复性拘捕令、不得缔约结盟、不得铸币并规定其价值、不得确定为合众国之防御与福利所需之款项与费用、或其中任何一项款项与费用、不得以合众国名义发行纸币或公债、不得拨款、不得决定建筑或购买战舰、不得决定征召陆、海军部队之兵员、不得任命陆、海军总司令；除非合众国国会多数投票表决，不得决定逐日体会以外之其他任何问题。
合众国国会有权体会至一年之任何时间、移至合众国境内任何地方复会，但体会期间不得超过六个月，每月应公布会议日志，但国会认为应予保密之有关条约，盟约或军事行动部分不在此限。经任何代表提出要求，每州代表对任何问题所投赞成与反对票应在日志中记录；任一州之代表均可要求发给一份上述日志副本，只上述在日志中除外部分不在此限，以便各州州议会查看。
　　第十条 州际委员会或任何九州均可在国会休会期间执行合众国国会经九个州同意随时认为适于授予之国会职权；惟不得授权该委员会执行邦联条款中要求合众国国会中须有九个州同意始能行使之权力。
　　第十一条 加拿大如参加此邦联，并参与合众国行动，应予接受加入并享有此联盟之一切权益；但除非有九个州同意，不得接受其他殖民地加入此邦联。
　　第十二条 凡在合众国各州集会组成此邦联之前由国会或以国会名义发行之一切信贷、借款与举债，均视为合众国之债务，其清偿由合众国担承，谨此以合众国与公众名义庄严作出保证。
　　第十三条 各州在邦联提交之一切问题上将遵从合众国国会之决定。邦联条款将为各州严格遵守，联盟将永久存在；今后非经合众国国会同意，并经各州州议会随后批准，任何时候不得对条款进行任何修改。
　　我等幸邀上帝恩宠，为各自所代表之州议会所同意并授权，批准上述邦联及永久联盟条款。上帝鉴查：我等以下签名代表，根据所授之权，代表各自选民并以其名义，谨此声明全面批准、肯定邦联及永久联盟各条规定，以及其中包括之全部与革项内容；我等并以各自选民信用庄严信誓并担保彼等在一切邦联提交问题上将遵守合众国国会之决定。本条款将为我等所代表之州所严格遵守，此一联盟将永世长存。

　　　　
　　

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

　　To all to whom these Presents shall come， we the undersigned Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting. Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the states of New Hampshire， Massachusetts-bay Rhode Island and Providence Plantations， Connecticut， New York， New Jersey， Pennsylvania， Delaware， Maryland， Virginia， North Carolina， South Carolina and Georgia.

　　I The Stile of this Confederacy shall be The United States of America.

　　II Each state retains its sovereignty， freedom， and independence， and every power， jurisdiction， and right， which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States， in Congress assembled.

　　III The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other， for their common defense， the security of their liberties， and their mutual and general welfare， binding themselves to assist each other， against all force offered to， or attacks made upon them， or any of them， on account of religion， sovereignty， trade， or any other pretense whatever.

　　IV The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different States in this Union， the free inhabitants of each of these States， paupers， vagabonds， and fugitives from justice excepted， shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several States； and the people of each State shall free ingress and regress to and from any other State， and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce， subject to the same duties， impositions， and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof respectively， provided that such restrictions shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any State， to any other State， of which the owner is an inhabitant； provided also that no imposition， duties or restriction shall be laid by any State， on the property of the United States， or either of them.

　　If any person guilty of， or charged with， treason， felony， or other high misdemeanor in any State， shall flee from justice， and be found in any of the United States， he shall， upon demand of the Governor or executive power of the State from which he fled， be delivered up and removed to the State having jurisdiction of his offense.Full faith and credit shall be given in each of these States to the records， acts， and judicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates of every other State.

　　V For the most convenient management of the general interests of the United States， delegates shall be annually appointed in such manner as the legislatures of each State shall direct， to meet in Congress on the first Monday in November， in every year， with a power reserved to each State to recall its delegates， or any of them， at any time within the year， and to send others in their stead for the remainder of the year.

　　No State shall be represented in Congress by less than two， nor more than seven members； and no person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of six years； nor shall any person， being a delegate， be capable of holding any office under the United States， for which he， or another for his benefit， receives any salary， fees or emolument of any kind.

　　Each State shall maintain its own delegates in a meeting of the States， and while they act as members of the committee of the States.

　　In determining questions in the United States in Congress assembled， each State shall have one vote.

　　Freedom of speech and debate in Congress shall not be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Congress， and the members of Congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests or imprisonments， during the time of their going to and from， and attendence on Congress， except for treason， felony， or breach of the peace.

　　VI No State， without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled， shall send any embassy to， or receive any embassy from， or enter into any conference， agreement， alliance or treaty with any King， Prince or State； nor shall any person holding any office of profit or trust under the United States， or any of them， accept any present， emolument， office or title of any kind whatever from any King， Prince or foreign State； nor shall the United States in Congress assembled， or any of them， grant any title of nobility.

　　No two or more States shall enter into any treaty， confederation or alliance whatever between them， without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled， specifying accurately the purposes for which the same is to be entered into， and how long it shall continue.

　　No State shall lay any imposts or duties， which may interfere with any stipulations in treaties， entered into by the United States in Congress assembled， with any King， Prince or State， in pursuance of any treaties already proposed by Congress， to the courts of France and Spain.

　　No vessel of war shall be kept up in time of peace by any State， except such number only， as shall be deemed necessary by the United States in Congress assembled， for the defense of such State， or its trade； nor shall any body of forces be kept up by any State in time of peace， except such number only， as in the judgement of the United States in Congress assembled， shall be deemed requisite to garrison the forts necessary for the defense of such State； but every State shall always keep up a well-regulated and disciplined militia， sufficiently armed and accoutered， and shall provide and constantly have ready for use， in public stores， a due number of filed pieces and tents， and a proper quantity of arms， ammunition and camp equipage.

　　No State shall engage in any war without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled， unless such State be actually invaded by enemies， or shall have received certain advice of a resolution being formed by some nation of Indians to invade such State， and the danger is so imminent as not to admit of a delay till the United States in Congress assembled can be consulted； nor shall any State grant commissions to any ships or vessels of war， nor letters of marque or reprisal， except it be after a declaration of war by the United States in Congress assembled， and then only against the Kingdom or State and the subjects thereof， against which war has been so declared， and under such regulations as shall be established by the United States in Congress assembled， unless such State be infested by pirates， in which case vessels of war may be fitted out for that occasion， and kept so long as the danger shall continue， or until the United States in Congress assembled shall determine otherwise.

　　VII When land forces are raised by any State for the common defense， all officers of or under the rank of colonel， shall be appointed by the legislature of each State respectively， by whom such forces shall be raised， or in such manner as such State shall direct， and all vacancies shall be filled up by the State which first made the appointment.

　　VIII All charges of war， and all other expenses that shall be incurred for the common defense or general welfare， and allowed by the United States in Congress assembled， shall be defrayed out of a common treasury， which shall be supplied by the several States in proportion to the value of all land within each State， granted or surveyed for any person， as such land and the buildings and improvements thereon shall be estimated according to such mode as the United States in Congress assembled， shall from time to time direct and appoint.

　　The taxes for paying that proportion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the several States within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress assembled.

　　IX The United States in Congress assembled， shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war， except in the cases mentioned in the sixth article —— of sending and receiving ambassadors —— entering into treaties and alliances， provided that no treaty of commerce shall be made whereby the legislative power of the respective States shall be restrained from imposing such imposts and duties on foreigners， as their own people are subjected to， or from prohibiting the exportation or importation of any species of goods or commodities whatsoever —— of establishing rules for deciding in all cases， what captures on land or water shall be legal， and in what manner prizes taken by land or naval forces in the service of the United States shall be divided or appropriated —— of granting letters of marque and reprisal in times of peace —— appointing courts for the trial of piracies and felonies commited on the high seas and establishing courts for receiving and determining finally appeals in all cases of captures， provided that no member of Congress shall be appointed a judge of any of the said courts.

　　The United States in Congress assembled shall also be the last resort on appeal in all disputes and differences now subsisting or that hereafter may arise between two or more States concerning boundary， jurisdiction or any other causes whatever； which authority shall always be exercised in the manner following. Whenever the legislative or executive authority or lawful agent of any State in controversy with another shall present a petition to Congress stating the matter in question and praying for a hearing， notice thereof shall be given by order of Congress to the legislative or executive authority of the other State in controversy， and a day assigned for the appearance of the parties by their lawful agents， who shall then be directed to appoint by joint consent， commissioners or judges to constitute a court for hearing and determining the matter in question： but if they cannot agree， Congress shall name three persons out of each of the United States， and from the list of such persons each party shall alternately strike out one， the petitioners beginning， until the number shall be reduced to thirteen； and from that number not less than seven， nor more than nine names as Congress shall direct， shall in the presence of Congress be drawn out by lot， and the persons whose names shall be so drawn or any five of them， shall be commissioners or judges， to hear and finally determine the controversy， so always as a major part of the judges who shall hear the cause shall agree in the determination： and if either party shall neglect to attend at the day appointed， without showing reasons， which Congress shall judge sufficient， or being present shall refuse to strike， the Congress shall proceed to nominate three persons out of each State， and the secretary of Congress shall strike in behalf of such party absent or refusing； and the judgement and sentence of the court to be appointed， in the manner before prescribed， shall be final and conclusive； and if any of the parties shall refuse to submit to the authority of such court， or to appear or defend their claim or cause， the court shall nevertheless proceed to pronounce sentence， or judgement， which shall in like manner be final and decisive， the judgement or sentence and other proceedings being in either case transmitted to Congress， and lodged among the acts of Congress for the security of the parties concerned： provided that every commissioner， before he sits in judgement， shall take an oath to be administered by one of the judges of the supreme or superior court of the State， where the cause shall be tried， well and truly to hear and determine the matter in question， according to the best of his judgement， without favor， affection or hope of reward： provided also， that no State shall be deprived of territory for the benefit of the United States.

　　All controversies concerning the private right of soil claimed under different grants of two or more States， whose jurisdictions as they may respect such lands， and the States which passed such grants are adjusted， the said grants or either of them being at the same time claimed to have originated antecedent to such settlement of jurisdiction， shall on the petition of either party to the Congress of the United States， be finally determined as near as may be in the same manner as is before presecribed for deciding disputes respecting territorial jurisdiction between different States.

　　The United States in Congress assembled shall also have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating the alloy and value of coin struck by their own authority， or by that of the respective States —— fixing the standards of weights and measures throughout the United States —— regulating the trade and managing all affairs with the Indians， not members of any of the States， provided that the legislative right of any State within its own limits be not infringed or violated —— establishing or regulating post offices from one State to another， throughout all the United States， and exacting such postage on the papers passing through the same as may be requisite to defray the expenses of the said office —— appointing all officers of the land forces， in the service of the United States， excepting regimental officers —— appointing all the officers of the naval forces， and commissioning all officers whatever in the service of the United States —— making rules for the government and regulation of the said land and naval forces， and directing their operations.

　　The United States in Congress assembled shall have authority to appoint a committee， to sit in the recess of Congress， to be denominated A Committee of the States， and to consist of one delegate from each State； and to appoint such other committees and civil officers as may be necessary for managing the general affairs of the United States under their direction —— to appoint one of their members to preside， provided that no person be allowed to serve in the office of president more than one year in any term of three years； to ascertain the necessary sums of money to be raised for the service of the United States， and to appropriate and apply the same for defraying the public expenses —— to borrow money， or emit bills on the credit of the United States， transmitting every half-year to the respective States an account of the sums of money so borrowed or emitted —— to build and equip a navy —— to agree upon the number of land forces， and to make requisitions from each State for its quota， in proportion to the number of white inhabitants in such State； which requisition shall be binding， and thereupon the legislature of each State shall appoint the regimental officers， raise the men and cloath， arm and equip them in a solid-like manner， at the expense of the United States； and the officers and men so cloathed， armed and equipped shall march to the place appointed， and within the time agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled. But if the United States in Congress assembled shall， on consideration of circumstances judge proper hat any State should not raise men， or should raise a smaller umber of men than the quota thereof， such extra number shall be raised， officered， cloathed， armed and equipped in the same manner as the quota of each State， unless the legislature of such State shall judge that such extra number cannot be safely spread out in the same， in which case they shall raise， officer， cloath， arm and equip as many of such extra number as they judeg can be safely spared. And the officers and men so cloathed， armed， and equipped， shall march to the place appointed， and within the time agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled.

　　The United States in Congress assembled shall never engage in a war， nor grant letters of marque or reprisal in time of peace， nor enter into any treaties or alliances， nor coin money， nor regulate the value thereof， nor ascertain the sums and expenses necessary for the defense and welfare of the United States， or any of them， nor emit bills， nor borrow money on the credit of the United States， nor appropriate money， nor agree upon the number of vessels of war， to be built or purchased， or the number of land or sea forces to be raised， nor appoint a commander in chief of the army or navy， unless nine States assent to the same： nor shall a question on any other point， except for adjourning from day to day be determined， unless by the votes of the majority of the United States in Congress assembled.

　　The Congress of the United States shall have power to adjourn to any time within the year， and to any place within the United States， so that no period of adjournment be for a longer duration than the space of six months， and shall publish the journal of their proceedings monthly， except such parts thereof relating to treaties， alliances or military operations， as in their judgement require secrecy； and the yeas and nays of the delegates of each State on any question shall be entered on the journal， when it is desired by any delegates of a State， or any of them， at his or their request shall be furnished with a transcript of the said journal， except such parts as are above excepted， to lay before the legislatures of the several States.

　　X The Committee of the States， or any nine of them， shall be authorized to execute， in the recess of Congress， such of the powers of Congress as the United States in Congress assembled， by the consent of the nine States， shall from time to time think expedient to vest them with； provided that no power be delegated to the said Committee， for the exercise of which， by the Articles of Confederation， the voice of nine States in the Congress of the United States assembled be requisite.

　　XI Canada acceding to this confederation， and adjoining in the measures of the United States， shall be admitted into， and entitled to all the advantages of this Union； but no other colony shall be admitted into the same， unless such admission be agreed to by nine States.

　　XII All bills of credit emitted， monies borrowed， and debts contracted by， or under the authority of Congress， before the assembling of the United States， in pursuance of the present confederation， shall be deemed and considered as a charge against the United States， for payment and satisfaction whereof the said United States， and the public faith are hereby solemnly pleged.

　　XIII Every State shall abide by the determination of the United States in Congress assembled， on all questions which by this confederation are submitted to them. And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State， and the Union shall be perpetual； nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them； unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States， and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State.

　　And Whereas it hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in Congress， to approve of， and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union. Know Ye that we the undersigned delegates， by virtue of the power and authority to us given for that purpose， do by these presents， in the name and in behalf of our respective constituents， fully and entirely ratify and confirm each and every of the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union， and all and singular the matters and things therein contained： And we do further solemnly plight and engage the faith of our respective constituents， that they shall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congress assembled， on all questions， which by the said Confederation are submitted to them. And that the Articles thereof shall be inviolably observed by the States we respectively represent， and that the Union shall be perpetual.

　　In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania the ninth day of July in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eight， and in the Third Year of the independence of America.

　　Agreed to by Congress 15 November 1777 In force after ratification by Maryland， 1 March 1781

Articles of Confederation
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