the states ratified the articles of confederation on march 1, 1781.
when did the states ratify the articles of confederation?
march 1 , 1781
on march 1, 1781, the articles of confederation and perpetual union was ratified and took effect with the confirmation signing of the articles by two maryland delegates in philadelphia. the articles had initially been submitted to the states on november 17, 1777, but the ratification process dragged on for several years, stalled by an interstate quarrel over claims to uncolonized land in the west of the appalachian mountains to the mississippi river. maryland was the last hold-out; it refused to ratify until larger states like virginia and new york agreed to rescind their claims to lands in what became the old northwest territory and the southwest territory. chevalier de la luzerne, french minister to the united states, felt that the articles would help strengthen the american government. in 1780 when maryland requested france provide naval forces in the chesapeake bay for protection from the british (who were conducting raids in the lower part of the bay), he indicated that french admiral destouches would do what he could but la luzerne also “sharply pressed” maryland to ratify the articles, thus suggesting the two issues were related. on february 2, 1781, the much-awaited decision was taken by the maryland general assembly in annapolis. as the last piece of business during the afternoon session, "among engrossed bills" was "signed and sealed by governor thomas sim lee in the senate chamber, in the presence of the members of both houses... an act to empower the delegates of this state in congress to subscribe and ratify the articles of confederation" and perpetual union among the states. the senate then adjourned "to the first monday in august next." the decision of maryland to ratify the articles was reported to the continental congress on february 12, 1781.
history of maryland
article seven of the constitution of the united states describes the process by which the entire document was to become effective. it required that conventions of nine of the thirteen original states ratify the constitution. if fewer than thirteen states ratified the document, it would become effective only among the states ratifying it. new hampshire was the ninth state to ratify, doing so on june 21, 1788, but, as a practical matter, it was decided to delay implementation of the new government until new york and virginia could be persuaded to ratify. congress intended that new york city should be the first capital, and that george washington, of mount vernon, virginia, should be the first president, and both of those things would have been somewhat awkward if either new york or virginia were not part of the new government. ratification by those states was secured - virginia on june 25 and new york on july 26 - and the government under the constitution began on march 4, 1789.
ratification