Articles of Confederation

1 March 1781, in Philadelphia

In Philadelphia on 1 March 1781, the Maryland delegates John Hanson and Daniel Carroll signed and ratified the Articles of Confederation on behalf of their state.

Maryland was the thirteenth and final state required, so the signing completed the Confederation and put the Articles into force as the United States' first constitution. Congress had adopted them on 15 November 1777.

Thirteen guns from the hill, thirteen from the river

Philadelphia marked the completion with artillery, a reception at the president of Congress's residence and evening fireworks. Thomas Rodney recorded thirteen cannon from a hill and thirteen from the frigate Ariel, commanded by John Paul Jones in the Delaware.

Ariel was dressed in streamers by day and lights by night. At two o'clock, legislators, officers, diplomats and townspeople crowded into Samuel Huntington's residence for a collation.

What the day changed

Maryland had withheld accession over western land claims. After New York authorized a cession and Virginia offered to relinquish territory northwest of the Ohio, Maryland's legislature completed its assent on 2 February; Congress received the certified act on 12 February and scheduled the signing.

The completed document established the constitutional style "the United States in Congress assembled," described the union as perpetual and joined the states in a league of friendship. "Confederation Congress" is a later historical label rather than a name adopted that day.

The United States and its wartime Congress already existed; what 1 March supplied was an agreed written constitutional basis. Delegates began discussing additional federal powers within days.