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+# Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
+
+Between the States of
+
+- New Hampshire,
+- Massachusetts Bay,
+- Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,
+- Connecticut,
+- New York,
+- New Jersey,
+- Pennsylvania,
+- Delaware,
+- Maryland,
+- Virginia,
+- North Carolina,
+- South Carolina,
+- Georgia
+
+## Article I
+
+The stile of this confederacy shall be "The United States of America."
+
+## Article 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 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 whatever.
+
+## Article 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 citizens in the several
+states; and the people of each State shall have 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 offence.
+
+Full faith and credit shall be given in each of these states to the records,
+acts, and judicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates of every other
+State.
+
+## Article V
+
+For the more convenient management of the general interests of the United
+States, delegates shall be annually appointed, in such manner as the legislature
+of each State shall direct, to meet in Congress on the 1st 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 by 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 and imprisonments, during the time of
+their going to and from, and attendance on Congress, *except for treason,*
+felony, or breach of the peace.
+
+## Article VI
+
+No State, without the consent of the United States, in Congress assembled, shall
+send any embassy 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 of 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 pursuance of any treaties already
+proposed by Congress to the courts of France and Spain.
+
+No vessels 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 defence 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 judgment of the United States, in Congress assembled, shall be deemed
+requisite to garrison the forts necessary for the defence of such State; but
+every State shall always keep up a well regulated and disciplined militia,
+sufficiently armed and accoutered, and shall provide, and constantly have ready
+for use, in public stores, a due number of field 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 assembled, 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 consulted; nor shall
+any State grant commissions to any ships or vessels of war, nor letters of
+marque or reprisal, except it be after a declaration of war by the United
+States, in Congress assembled, 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.
+
+## Article VII
+
+When land forces are raised in any State for the common defence, 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.
+
+## Article VIII
+
+All charges of war and all other expences, that shall be incurred for the common
+defence or general 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 to 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 Congress 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 Congress assembled.
+
+## Article 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 6th
+  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 restrained 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 committed on the high seas, and
+  establishing courts for receiving and determining, finally, appeals in all
+  cases of captures; provided, 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, concerning boundary, jurisdiction or any other
+cause whatever; which authority shall always be exercised 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 petitioners 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 determination; and if either party shall neglect to attend at the
+day appointed, without shewing 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 judgment 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 nevertheless proceed to pronounce sentence or judgment, which shall, in
+like manner, be final and decisive, the judgment 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: provided, that every
+commissioner, before he sits in judgment, shall take an oath, to be administered
+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 judgment, without favour, affection, or
+hope of reward:" provided, also, that no State shall be deprived 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 manner as is before prescribed for deciding disputes respecting territorial
+jurisdiction between different 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 respective states;
+
+- Fixing the standard of weights and measures throughout the United States;
+
+- Regulating the trade and managing all affairs with the Indians not members of
+  any of the states; provided that the legislative right of any State within its
+  own limits be not infringed or violated;
+
+- Establishing and 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 expences 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 appoint one of their number 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
+  expences;
+
+- 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 inhabitants in such
+  State; which requisitions shall be binding; and, thereupon, the legislature of
+  each State shall appoint the regimental officers, raise the men, and clothe,
+  arm, and equip them in a soldier-like manner, at the expence of the United
+  States; and the officers and men so clothed, 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 than its quota, and that any other State
+  should raise a greater number of men than the quota thereof, such extra number
+  shall be raised, officered, clothed, armed, and equipped in the same manner as
+  the quota of such State, unless the legislature of such State shall judge that
+  such extra number cannot be safely spared out of the same, in which case they
+  shall raise, officer, clothe, arm, and equip as many of such extra number as
+  they judge can be safely spared. And the officers and men so clothed, 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 marque and 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 expences necessary for the defence 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 a majority 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 judgment,
+require secrecy; the yeas and nays of the delegates of each State on any
+question shall be entered on the journal, when it is desired by any delegate;
+and the 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.
+
+## Article 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 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, is requisite.
+
+## Article XI
+
+Canada acceding to this confederation, and joining 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.
+
+## Article XII
+
+All bills of credit emitted, moneys 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 satisfaction whereof the said
+United States and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged.
+
+## Article XIII
+
+Every State shall abide by the determinations of the United States, in Congress
+assembled, on all questions which, by this confederation, are submitted to them.
+And the articles of this confederation 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.
+
+These articles shall be proposed to the legislatures of all the United States,
+to be considered, and if approved by them, they are advised to authorize their
+delegates to ratify the same in the Congress of the United States; which being
+done, the same shall become conclusive.