ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

1. Articles of Confederation was an agreement amongst the 13 founding states of USA and served as its first constitution.

2. ARTICLE 1: the name of the confederacy is the United States of America

3. ARTICLE 2: each state keeps its sovereignty, freedom, independence and every power not granted to the new Congress.

4. ARTICLE 3: the confederacy is a 'league of friendship' amongst the states on common defense, securing their liberties, sharing their welfare and defending eachother on attacks

5. ARTICLE 4: all free inhabitants of the different states are entitled to the same immunities and privileges that state residents have.

   • ie. free entry and exit from each state, free trade, must pay the same taxes and follow the individual state laws.

6. ARTICLE 5: to control the national interests of the states, each state would send 2-7 delegates to meet in Congress and that no delegate can serve for more than three of every six years.

   • Members of Congress have free speech inside and outside of Congress and are not subject to arrest or imprisonment unless committed treason or breach of peace.

7. ARTICLE 6: Limits on State Powers

   • - States may not send an embassy or make an alliance or treaty with another country. / Neither states or Congress may give titles of nobility. / States may not make a treaty or alliance with each other without consulting Congress. / No state may impose taxes that interfere with existing treaties or proposed treaties with France or Spain. / No state may keep a standing army or navy except to garrison forts; but every state must keep up a well-regulated and disciplined militia. / No state may engage in a war without consent of the Congress unless it is actually invaded or if it is about to be invaded by Indians.

8. ARTICLE 7: When a state raises an army for national defense, all officers ranked colonel or below will be appointed by the state legislature.

9. ARTICLE 8: Costs of war or other national expenses will be paid from a common treasury. Each state will pay into the treasury in proportion to the value of land in that state.

10. ARTICLE 9: Powers of the United States in Congress Assembled

    • *Congress has the sole and exclusive right to carry out war and peace; / Send & receive ambassadors; / Enter into treaties or alliances; / decide how captured prizes in war will be divided; *grant letters of marque and reprisal (that is, create privateers); *appoint courts for dealing with crimes on the high sea and for captured prizes. *Congress is also the court of last resort in case of a dispute between states. *Congress also has the sole and exclusive right to regulate the value of coins; *set standard weights and measures; *regulate affairs and trade with Indians outside individual states; *establish and regulate post offices; *make rules to govern army and navy. *Congress may appoint a committee to serve as an executive when it is in recess.; *determine how much money the Congress needs and appropriate it; *borrow money *build and equip a navy; *arrange to develop an army based on quotas from each states (states must rais

11. ARTICLE10: The executive committee, which operates when Congress is not together, may be given any of these powers as long as they don’t act without the consent of at least nine states.

12. ARTICLE 11: Canada may join this Union. Any other colony wishing to join must be agreed amongst at least nine states.

13. ARTICLE 12: The new United States will be responsible for all debts that Congress contracted before these articles were signed.

14. ARTICLE 13: Every state will respect the decisions of the United States in Congress assembled. The Union will be continuing. No changes may be made to these articles unless Congress agrees and every state legislature also agreed