e, by passing laws partial to themselves and injurious to the
former. The states soon became disaffected toward each other; and their
mutual jealousies and rivalries and animosities at length became so
great as to cause fears that some of the states would become involved
in war among themselves, and that the union would be broken up.

Sec.9. In the hope of remedying the difficulty last mentioned, an attempt
was made to procure the insertion, into the articles of confederation,
of a provision giving to congress the power to regulate trade; but the
attempt failed. In January, 1786, the legislature of Virginia proposed a
convention of commissioners from all the states, to take into
consideration the situation and trade of the United States, and the
necessity of a uniform system of commercial regulations.

Sec.10. A meeting was accordingly held at Annapolis, in September, 1786;
but as commissioners from only five states attended, viz., New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia, the commissioners deemed
it unadvisable to proceed to business relating to an object in which all
the states were concerned; but they united in a report to the several
states and to congress, in which they recommended the calling of a
general convention of delegates from all the states, to meet in
Philadelphia on the 2d Monday of May, 1787, with a view not only to the
regulation of commerce, but to such other amendments of the articles of
confederation as were necessary to render them "adequate to the
exigencies of the union."

Sec.11. In pursuance of this recommendation, congress, in February, 1787,
passed a resolution for assembling a convention. All the states, except
Rhode Island, appointed delegates, who met pursuant to appointment; and
framed the present constitution of the United States. They also
recommended it to be laid by congress before the several states, to be
by them considered and ratified in conventions of representatives of the
people. Conventions were accordingly called for this purpose in all the
states, except Rhode Island, and the constitution was ratified by all of
them in which conventions had been called, except North Carolina.

Sec.12. The constitution was to go into effect if ratified by nine states.
The ninth state, New Hampshire, sent its ratification to congress in
July, 1788; and measures were taken by congress to put the new
constitution into operation. Ratifications were received from North
Carolin