The USConstitution.net Timeline. Often in the course of researching events for the USConstitution.net site, I've wondered where in history those events fall in relation to other national and international milestones.
On this page, I've listed many events from U.S. and World history, with specific attention to constitutional events. PalmPilot users: A DOC format file for this timeline is available, and it is free. Get it! The Convention Timeline may also be of interest. The following is a key for the various abbreviations used below: AR: Date an Amendment was ratifiedAP: Date of the passage of a Constitutional AmendmentNA: Notable American event NW: Notable World event PR: Presidential term beginsSH: Statehood (for original 13 colonies, date Constitution was ratified)WR: An event in a U.S. war Dates are of format YYYY/MM/DD (year, month, day). These pages contain related information: URL: Articles of Confederation (1777) After considerable debate and alteration, the Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777.
This document served as the United States' first constitution, and was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present day Constitution went into effect. On June 11, 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed three committees in response to the Lee Resolution. One of these committees, created to determine the form of a confederation of the colonies, was composed of one representative from each colony with John Dickinson, a delegate from Delaware, as the principal writer. The Dickinson Draft of the Articles of Confederation named the Confederation "the United States of America," provided for a Congress with representation based on population, and gave to the national government all powers not designated to the states.
After considerable debate and alteration, the Articles of Confederation were adopted by Congress on November 15, 1777. The Articles of Confederation. Also see the Constitutional Topics Page for this document, a comparison of the Articles and the Constitution, and a table with demographic data for the signers of the Articles.
Images of the Articles are available. ContentsPreambleArticle I - Style Article II - States Rights Article III - Mutual defense Article IV - Laws of other states to be abided; extradition Article V - The Legislature Article VI - Rights denied the States Article VII - Appointment of military officers Article VIII - United States to pay for defense; taxes Article IX - Rights granted the Federal Government Article X - Committee of States Article XI - Canada may join the United States Article XII - Assumption of debt Article XIII - Articles are Supreme Law, amendment ConclusionSignatories Agreed to by Congress November 15, 1777; ratified and in force, March 1, 1781. Preamble To all to whom these Presents shall come, we the undersigned Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting. Article I. Article II. Constitution of the United States : Preamble.
The Constitution for Kids (4th-7th Grade) This file is intended for students in grades 4 through 7.
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