The Articles of Confederation

After declaring independence from Great Britain in 1776, the former colonies – now states – needed to formalize their alliance. The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation on November 15, 1777, then sent it to the states to formally ratify. The Connecticut Courant published the full text for Connecticans to read that January, as the General Assembly met to debate it. The Assembly soon voted in favor. Connecticut’s Congressional delegation formally recorded the state’s decision to ratify the Articles of Confederation on June 23, 1778. Once other states ratified, it took effect on March 1, 1781.

The Articles of Confederation named the new union “The United States of America,” and declared it “a firm league of friendship.” Each state had one vote in Congress. Americans soon found the central government too weak to be effective, however, and in 1787, convened a Constitutional Convention to draft a new U.S. Constitution.

This copy of the Connecticut Courant, printed in Hartford, is in the Library of Congress.