Articles of Confederation

Today in History: Articles of Confederation Come into Force

by Dave Benner | Mar 1, 2023 | Articles of Confederation, Founding Principles, History

Today in History, on March 1, 1781, the states adopted the Articles of Confederation, putting into operation the first constitution for the United States. In July of 1776, the Continental Congress passed the Richard Henry Lee Resolution and adopted the Declaration of...

Constitutional Genealogy: Benjamin Franklin’s First Articles of Confederation

by Mike Maharrey | Oct 31, 2022 | Articles of Confederation, Benjamin Franklin, Founding Principles

Most people recognize that the Constitution evolved out of the Articles of Confederation. But the Articles were also part of a long evolution in political thought and constitutionalism that started long before the colonies’ quest for independence. An important...

Today in History: Benjamin Franklin Introduces Plan for American Confederation

by Mike Maharrey | Jul 21, 2022 | Articles of Confederation, Benjamin Franklin, Founding Principles

On this date in 1775, Benjamin Franklin introduced in the Second Continental Congress a formal plan for a confederation of the American colonies. Franklin introduced his plan, “The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union,” nearly a year before...

Today in History: First Draft of the Articles of Confederation Introduced

by Mike Maharrey | Jul 12, 2022 | Articles of Confederation, John Dickinson

On this date in 1776, John Dickinson presented the first draft of the Articles of Confederation to the Continental Congress. Congress began considering a plan for a new government even before declaring independence. On June 7, 1776, following instructions from...

Today in History: Articles of Confederation Officially Ratified

by Dave Benner | Mar 1, 2021 | Articles of Confederation, Founding Principles, John Dickinson

Early Americans Would Have Rejected the U.S. Government of Today

by Jacob Hornberger | May 24, 2020 | Articles of Confederation, Founding Principles

Even though most Americans are obviously unhappy with the federal government, many of them don’t question the structure of the government itself. Their ire is directed toward officials, not the governmental structure that such officials manage. They are satisfied with...

The 10th Amendment

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

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