To all to whom these Presents shall come, we the undersigned Delegates

of the States affixed to our Names send greeting.

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 Con-
gress 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 citi-
zens 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 pro-
ceedings 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 Con-
gress, 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 em-
bassy 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 pur-
suance 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 accou-
tered, 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 assem-
bled, 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 con-
sulted; nor shall any State grant commissions to any ships or vessels of war, nor letters of mar-
que or reprisal, except it be after a declaration of war by the United States in Congress assem-
bled, 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 gen-
eral 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 Con-
gress 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 Con-
gress 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 re-
strained 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, pro-
vided 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 concern-
ing boundary, jurisdiction or any other causes whatever; which authority shall always be exer-
cised 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 petition-
ers 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 never-
theless 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: pro-
vided that every commissioner, before he sits in judgement, shall take an oath to be adminis-
tered 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 de-
prived 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 man-
ner as is before prescribed for deciding disputes respecting territorial jurisdiction between dif-
ferent 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 respec-
tive States -- fixing the standards of weights and measures throughout the United States -- regu-
lating the trade and managing all affairs with the Indians, not members of any of the States, pro-
vided 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 ap-
point 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 in-
habitants 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 that any State should not raise men, or should raise
a smaller 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 each State, unless the legisla-
ture 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 mar-
que 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 ma-
jority 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 re-
quire secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the delegates of each State on any question shall be en-
tered 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 requi-
site.
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 satisfac-
tion whereof the said United States, and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged.
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 Confed-
eration 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 legis-
latures 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 dele-
gates, 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 repre-
sent, and that the Union shall be perpetual.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Phila-
delphia 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