T
ABRA CLARK
ROB'T. MORRIS
BENJAMIN RUSH
BENJ'A. FRANKLIN
JOHN MORTON
GEO CLYMER
JA'S. SMITH.
GEO. TAYLOR
JAMES WILSON
GEO. ROSS
CAESAR RODNEY
GEO READ
THO M'KEAN
SAMUEL CHASE
W'M. PACA
THO'S. STONE
CHARLES CARROLL of Carrollton
GEORGE WYTHE
RICHARD HENRY LEE.
TH. JEFFERSON
BENJ'A. HARRISON
THO'S. NELSON jr.
FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE
CARTER BRAXTON
W'M. HOOPER
JOSEPH HEWES.
JOHN PENN
EDWARD RUTLEDGE.
THO'S. HEYWARD Jun'r.
THOMAS LYNCH Jun'r.
ARTHUR MIDDLETON
BUTTON GWINNETT
LYMAN HALL
GEO WALTON.

* * * * *

Articles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation

NOTE.--The original is indorsed: Act of Confederation of The
United States of America.

To all to whom these Presents shall come, we the undersigned
Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting. Whereas the
Delegates of the United States of America in Congress assembled did on
the fifteenth day of November in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven
Hundred and Seventy seven, and in the Second Year of the Independence of
America agree to certain articles of Confederation and perpetual Union
between the States of Newhampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhodeisland and
Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina and Georgia
in the Words following, viz. "Articles of Confederation and perpetual
Union between the states of Newhampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhodeisland
and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina,
South-Carolina and Georgia."

Article I. The Stile of this confederacy shall be "The United States of
America."

Article II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom an independence,
and every Power, Jurisdiction and right, which is not by this
confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress
assembled.

Article III. The said states hereby severally enter into a firm league
of friendship with each other, for their common defence, 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 pretence whatsoever.

Article IV. The better to secure and per