In 1777 Articles of Confederation and perpetual union between ' The United States of America' were drawn up by Congress and sent to the 1%islatures of the several states, with the request that, if they approved of them, they would authorise their delegates to ratify the contract in Congress. By these articles the states were to bind them selves to a league for common defence; the free inhabitants of each state %ere to be citizens of the whole Union ; each state was to retain its sovereignty, and every power not expressly delegated to Congress. Congress )vas to consist of delegates from all the states, to be invested with the power of determining on peace and war, and other supreme executive powers. These articles, if adopted, were to be binding until alterations were made by Congress, and approved by the legislatures of every state. litoeachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New York, Virginia, and South Carolina, acceded to this confederation in 1777; New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Caroline, and Georgia, in 1778 ; Delaware in 1779 ; Maryland not before 1781. Under this make-shift constitution, in which the legislative, executive, and judicial functions were all rested In one body, the United States brought the war with Great Britain to a successful termination In 1783 ; and it was not till six years later that they attempted to organiae the general government upon a more permanent system.
In 1778 the first public audience was given by the king of France to the American =be/readers. In April, 1782, Holland recognised the independence of the United States. In 1783 peace was concluded between Great Britain and the United States. Their independence was recognised iu the course of the same year by Sweden, on the 5th of February; by Denmark on the 25th; by Spain on the 24th of March ; and by Russia in July. Treaties of amity and commerce wore concluded with all these nations, and thus the United States of North America took their place among the nations of the earth. The original extent of the territory of the United States was from the British pomesaions on the north to Florida, which had again fallen to Spain, on the south ; and from the Atlantic on the east to the Mississippi on the west.
The inadequacy of the Congress, as constituted under the Articles of Confederation, to exercise tub functions of government, soon became apparent. A convention, sanctioned by the recommendation of Con gress, assembled at Philadelphia, in May, 1787, to frame a conetitutiou for the United States. The, great difficulty in this task arose from the jealousies which existed between the large and the smell states : it was obviated by instituting a legislature of two chambers, the members of the one (the House of Representatives) to bo elected directly by the people in proportion to the population; the members of the ,other (the Senate) to be eleoted as each state should determine, two for each state. A president was to be elected for four years, and
to be re-eligible at the close of the term. A supreme court of judiciary wse also to be created. A qualified negative on the proceedings of the legislature was given to the president, and a right of concurrence in the ratification of treaties to the Senate. The power of taxation was conferred upon the legislature. In other respects the provisions of Ike new constitution were a recognition of those of the old Con federation. On the 17th of September, 1737, this constitution was signed by all the members of the convention present except three. It was then sent to the *tato legislatures, for the purpose of being sub witted in each gate to a convention of delegates chosen by the people. Before the close of 17S8 all the states except Rhode Island and North Carolina had adopted the constitution. These did not ratify it till May, 1790. An act was passed by Congress appointing the first Wednesday of February, 1789, for the people to meet and choose electors, and the first N1'ednesday of March following for the electors to meet and choose a president.
A quorum of the House of Representatives had met at New York on the 1st of April, and elected a speaker ; a quorum of the Senate had met on the 6th, and elected a speaker pro tempers to count the votes for president. George Washington. it was found, had been unanimously elected president, and John Adams vice-president of the United States. 11 ashington took the oath of office on the 30th of April, and opened the proceedings of Congress by a speech. The constitution was now completely in operation, and since that time down to the present day it has only experienced a few immaterial modifications.
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From the establishment of their position as an independent repub lic until the present time, the United States have been chiefly occupied in the development of their vast resources. Many questions of internal government and relationship have occurred and excited much interest, hut it does not belong to us to notice them.
With foreign countries the intercourse has been for the most part commercial and pacific, the chief exceptions being the war with England 1812.15, which occasioned great losses to both powers, unattended with any material advantage to either, and the war with 3lexlco, 1845-48, which, as noticed under Ataxic°, resulted in the transference of a largo extent of territory to the United States.
Since the declaration of independence, the United States have increased with unparalleled rapidity in population and in territory. The first Census of the United States was taken in 1790, at which time there were included in the Union 17 states, or territorial govern ments, occupying an area of 820,680 square miles, with a populatiou of 3,929,827: at the present time the Union consists of 31 states and 5 territories, occupying an area of 2,9(33,066 square miles, with a population (in 1850) of 23,191,876.