JOSIAH BARTLETT W'M WHIPPLE SAM'L. ADAMS JOHN ADAMS ROB'T. TREAT PAINE ELBRIDGE GERRY STEP. HOPKINS WILLIAM ELLERY ROGER SHERMAN SAM'EL HUNTINGTON W'M WILLIAMS OLIVER WOLCOTT MATTHEW THORNTON W'M FLOYD PHIL. LIVINGSTON FRAN'S LEWIS LEWIS MORRIS RICH'D STOCKTON JN'O. WITHERSPOON FRA'S. HOPKINSON JOHN HART 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.