Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, commonly known as the Articles of Confederation, formed the first governing document of the United States of America. They combined the colonies of the American Revolutionary War into a loose confederation. The second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777, after 16 months of debate. The Articles then languished for another three years before ratification was completed on March 1, 1781. The Articles were replaced by the United States Constitution on June 21, 1788, when the 9th state, New Hampshire, ratified the Constitution.

Ratification

The Articles of Confederation were submitted to the states for ratification on November 17 1777, accompanied by a letter from Congress urging that the document

Related Topics:
November 17 - 1777

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:be candidly reviewed under a sense of the difficulty of combining in one general system the various sentiments and interests of a continent divided into so many sovereign and independent communities, under a conviction of the absolute necessity of uniting all our councils and all our strength, to maintain and defend our common liberties . . . {{ref|ratificationletter}}

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The document only became effective as it was ratified by the states. This process dragged on for several years, stalled by an interstate quarrel over claims to uncolonized land in the west. Maryland was the last hold-out; it refused to ratify until Virginia and New York agreed to rescind their claims to lands in the Ohio River valley. All of the colonies rebelling against Britain ratified it by 1781.

Related Topics:
Maryland - Virginia - New York - Ohio River - 1781

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Although Congress debated the Articles for over a year, it requested immediate action on the part of the states. On February 5 1778 South Carolina became the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation. However, three-and-a-half years passed before the final ratification by Maryland on March 1 1781.

Related Topics:
February 5 - 1778 - South Carolina - Maryland - March 1 - 1781

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