Mid Term Paper #1(Pol 201)--Ashley Everhart The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States of America and as with most firsts, the articles of confederation provided much positive but also much negative as well. The Continental Congress in Philadelphia Pennsylvania first drafted the Articles of Confederation in 1777. John Dickinson prepared this first draft in 1776. The Articles were then ratified in 1781. The cause for the changes to be made was due to …showed first 75 words of 674 total…

…showed last 75 words of 674 total…delegates representing 12 states attended at least part of the sessions. Thirty-four of them were lawyers; most of the others were planters or merchants. The delegates' knowledge concerning government, both ideal and practical, made the convention perhaps the most intelligent such gathering ever assembled. On September 17 the Constitution was signed by 39 of the 42 delegates present. A period of national argument followed, finally the last of the 13 states to ratify the Constitution was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790.