The Articles of Confederation sent to the states for their official consideration were in the form of a twenty-six page pamphlet signed by Henry Laurens, President of Congress. The pamphlet was accompanied by a letter, dated 17 November 1777, explaining the difficulties in writing the constitution, and requesting the state legislatures to authorize their delegates in Congress to be ready to ratify the Articles on 10 March 1778. Nine states had ratified by 10 March, but some of them had also instructed their delegates to propose amendments.
The documents in this collection are the formal acts of ratification by the states, which range all the way from legislative resolutions to formal laws, the instructions sent by the states to their delegates in Congress, and the actions of Congress upon amendments proposed by the states. The documents are arranged in the order in which the states presented their protests, amendments, and offers to ratify to Congress, followed by the dates on which the delegates from each state signed the engrossed Articles of Confederation.
For an extended introductory essay see Ratification of the Articles of Confederation by the States.
- Maryland, 22–23 June 1778
- New Hampshire, 23 June 1778
- Massachusetts, 23 June 1778
- Rhode Island, 23 June 1778
- Connecticut, 23 June 1778
- New York, 23 June 1778
- New Jersey, 23, 25 June 1778
- Pennsylvania, 25 June 1778
- Virginia, 25 June 1778
- South Carolina, 25 June 1778
- Eight States Sign the Articles of Confederation, 9 July 1778
- North Carolina Signs, 21 July 1778
- Georgia Signs, 24 July 1778
- New Jersey Signs, 26 November 1778
- Delaware Signs, 22 February 1779
- Maryland Signs, 1 March 1781