ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

These articles, a compact for the perpetual Union of the Thirteen Colonies were first submitted by Benjamin Franklin, July 21, 1775, to the Continental Congre , and after undergoing repeated changes by amendments the draft of the articles were reported to Congre on July 12, 1776._ These were debated from July 22 to July 31 and again from August 5 to August 20, 1776. The subject was not touched upon again until April 8, 1777 and debated several times between that date and November 15, 1777. On the latter day the Articles, with final amendments were adopted by Congre . By the Articles of Confederation each of the thirteen colonies were annually to send to Congre not more than seven and not le than two delegates. No thought was taken of population as a base representation. The burden of supporting the delegates was put upon the colonies sending them and as this was felt to be considerable a preference to ten delegates as against seven was at once shown. During the war a sense of fear kept the delegates for each colony up to two at least but after the war attendance fell off fast. Only seven states represented by twenty delegates witne ed Washington’s resignation, while twenty-three representatives of eleven States ratified the Treaty of Peace. On the 26th of June, 1778 an engro ed copy was prepared for ratification and on July 9, 1778 it was ratified by all the States except Maryland and Delaware in 1778; by Delaware in 1779 and by Maryland on March 1, 1779, from which date final ratification took place and was joyfully announced by Congre , Most of the objection to ratification centered on proposed boundaries by some of the States and public lands held by the Crown. By 1786 it was the general conclusion that the government under the, Articles of Confederation was inadequate for protection, prosperity or comfort, and that immediate and thorough reform was nece ary. Another convention was recommended to be held at Philadelphia in May, 1787. Congre by resolution approved the report and the proposed Convention resulted in the formre ee the Constitution of the United tates.