ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

The Articles of Association was one of the major accomplishments of the First Continental Congress, which
convened on September 5, 1774, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the Articles were dated on October 20 of that year.
Peyton Randolph, as President of the Congress, was the lead signatory. The main impetus for both the formation of
the Continental Congress and the drafting of the Articles was the passage in 1774 of the "Intolerable Acts". These
were a series of acts passed by the British Parliament to secure greater control over the colonies and to punish them
(the Massachusetts Bay Colony in particular) for rebellious behavior. Though there had been previous "articles of
association" circulated within some colonies that had prohibited trade with Britain, the 1774 Articles were an
expression of the growing union among the Colonies against Britain and were the immediate precursor to the
Declaration of Independence. The Articles served as much as a pact between the colonies themselves to recognize
common problems and adhere to a common course of action as a petition against British policies. Of the original
Thirteen Colonies, all were represented by the Articles except for the Province of Georgia, which did not send
delegates to the Congress until 1775. The Articles refer collectively to the colonies as "America" (only once as
"British-America"), and their people as "American subjects." As a sign of the desire still prevalent at the time to
avoid open revolution, the Articles notably opened with a profession of allegiance to the king, and they placed the
blame for "a ruinous system of colony administration" upon lower British officials rather than the king directly.
The Articles alleged that this system was "evidently calculated for enslaving these colonies, and, with them, the
British Empire."

The Articles of Association; October 20, 1774

We, his majesty's most loyal subjects, the delegates of the several colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay,
Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower counties of Newcastle, Kent and
Sussex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, and South-Carolina, deputed to represent them in a
continental Congress, held in the city of Philadelphia, on the 5th day of September, 1774, avowing our allegiance
to his majesty, our affection and regard for our fellow-subjects in Great-Britain and elsewhere, affected with the
deepest anxiety, and most alarming apprehensions, at those grievances and distresses, with which his Majesty's
American subjects are oppressed; and having taken under our most serious deliberation, the state of the whole
continent, find, that the present unhappy situation of our affairs is occasioned by a ruinous system of colony
administration, adopted by the British ministry about the year 1763, evidently calculated for enslaving these
colonies, and, with them, the British Empire. In prosecution of which system, various acts of parliament have been
passed, for raising a revenue in America, for depriving the American subjects, in many instances, of the
constitutional trial by jury, exposing their lives to danger, by directing a new and illegal trial beyond the seas, for
crimes alleged to have been committed in America: And in prosecution of the same system, several late, cruel, and
oppressive acts have been passed, respecting the town of Boston and the Massachusetts-Bay, and also an act for
extending the province of Quebec, so as to border on the western frontiers of these colonies, establishing an
arbitrary government therein, and discouraging the settlement of British subjects in that wide extended country;
thus, by the influence of civil principles and ancient prejudices, to dispose the inhabitants to act with hostility
against the free Protestant colonies, whenever a wicked ministry shall chose so to direct them.

To obtain redress of these grievances, which threaten destruction to the lives liberty, and property of his majesty's
subjects, in North-America, we are of opinion, that a non-importation, non-consumption, and non-exportation
agreement, faithfully adhered to, will prove the most speedy, effectual, and peaceable measure: And, therefore, we
do, for ourselves, and the inhabitants of the several colonies, whom we represent, firmly agree and associate, under
the sacred ties of virtue, honour and love of our country, as follows:

1. That from and after the first day of December next, we will not import, into British America, from Great-Britain
or Ireland, any goods, wares, or merchandise whatsoever, or from any other place, any such goods, wares, or
merchandise, as shall have been exported from Great-Britain or Ireland; nor will we, after that day, import any
East-India tea from any part of the world; nor any molasses, syrups, paneles, coffee, or pimento, from the British
plantations or from Dominica; nor wines from Madeira, or the Western Islands; nor foreign indigo.
2. We will neither import nor purchase, any slave imported after the first day of December next; after which time,
we will wholly discontinue the slave trade, and will neither be concerned in it ourselves, nor will we hire our
vessels, nor sell our commodities or manufactures to those who are concerned in it.

3. As a non-consumption agreement, strictly adhered to, will be an effectual security for the observation of the non-
importation, we, as above, solemnly agree and associate, that from this day, we will not purchase or use any tea,
imported on account of the East-India company, or any on which a duty bath been or shall be paid; and from and
after the first day of March next, we will not purchase or use any East-India tea whatever; nor will we, nor shall
any person for or under us, purchase or use any of those goods, wares, or merchandise, we have agreed not to
import, which we shall know, or have cause to suspect, were imported after the first day of December, except such
as come under the rules and directions of the tenth article hereafter mentioned.

4. The earnest desire we have not to injure our fellow-subjects in Great-Britain, Ireland, or the West-Indies,
induces us to suspend a non-exportation, until the tenth day of September, 1775; at which time, if the said acts and
parts of acts of the British parliament herein after mentioned, ate not repealed, we will not directly or indirectly,
export any merchandise or commodity whatsoever to Great-Britain, Ireland, or the West-Indies, except rice to
Europe.

5. Such as are merchants, and use the British and Irish trade, will give orders, as soon as possible, to their factors,
agents and correspondents, in Great-Britain and Ireland, not to ship any goods to them, on any pretence
whatsoever, as they cannot be received in America; and if any merchant, residing in Great-Britain or Ireland, shall
directly or indirectly ship any goods, wares or merchandize, for America, in order to break the said non-
importation agreement, or in any manner contravene the same, on such unworthy conduct being well attested, it
ought to be made public; and, on the same being so done, we will not, from thenceforth, have any commercial
connexion with such merchant.

6. That such as are owners of vessels will give positive orders to their captains, or masters, not to receive on board
their vessels any goods prohibited by the said non-importation agreement, on pain of immediate dismission from
their service.

7. We will use our utmost endeavours to improve the breed of sheep, and increase their number to the greatest
extent; and to that end, we will kill them as seldom as may be, especially those of the most profitable kind; nor will
we export any to the West-Indies or elsewhere; and those of us, who are or may become overstocked with, or can
conveniently spare any sheep, will dispose of them to our neighbours, especially to the poorer sort, on moderate
terms.

8. We will, in our several stations, encourage frugality, economy, and industry, and promote agriculture, arts and
the manufactures of this country, especially that of wool; and will discountenance and discourage every species of
extravagance and dissipation, especially all horse-racing, and all kinds of games, cock fighting, exhibitions of
shews, plays, and other expensive diversions and entertainments; and on the death of any relation or friend, none of
us, or any of our families will go into any further mourning-dress, than a black crepe or ribbon on the arm or hat,
for gentlemen, and a black ribbon and necklace for ladies, and we will discontinue the giving of gloves and scarves
at funerals.

9. Such as are venders of goods or merchandize will not take advantage of the scarcity of goods, that may be
occasioned by this association, but will sell the same at the rates we have been respectively accustomed to do, for
twelve months last past. -And if any vender of goods or merchandise shall sell such goods on higher terms, or
shall, in any manner, or by any device whatsoever, violate or depart from this agreement, no person ought, nor will
any of us deal with any such person, or his or her factor or agent, at any time thereafter, for any commodity
whatever.

10. In case any merchant, trader, or other person, shall import any goods or merchandize, after the first day of
December, and before the first day of February next, the same ought forthwith, at the election of the owner, to be
either re-shipped or delivered up to the committee of the country or town, wherein they shall be imported, to be
stored at the risque of the importer, until the non-importation agreement shall cease, or be sold under the direction
of the committee aforesaid; and in the last-mentioned case, the owner or owners of such goods shall be reimbursed
out of the sales, the first cost and charges, the profit, if any, to be applied towards relieving and employing such
poor inhabitants of the town of Boston, as are immediate sufferers by the Boston port-bill; and a particular account
of all goods so returned, stored, or sold, to be inserted in the public papers; and if any goods or merchandizes shall
be imported after the said first day of February, the same ought forthwith to be sent back again, without breaking
any of the packages thereof.

11. That a committee be chosen in every county, city, and town, by those who are qualified to vote for
representatives in the legislature, whose business it shall be attentively to observe the conduct of all persons
touching this association; and when it shall be made to appear, to the satisfaction of a majority of any such
committee, that any person within the limits of their appointment has violated this association, that such majority
do forthwith cause the truth of the case to be published in the gazette; to the end, that all such foes to the rights of
British-America may be publicly known, and universally contemned as the enemies of American liberty; and
thenceforth we respectively will break off all dealings with him or her.

12. That the committee of correspondence, in the respective colonies, do frequently inspect the entries of their
customhouses, and inform each other, from time to time, of the true state thereof, and of every other material
circumstance that may occur relative to this association.

13. That all manufactures of this country be sold at reasonable prices, so- that no undue advantage be taken of a
future scarcity of goods.

14. And we do further agree and resolve that we will have no trade, commerce, dealings or intercourse whatsoever,
with any colony or province, in North-America, which shall not accede to, or which shall hereafter violate this
association, but will hold them as unworthy of the rights of freemen, and as inimical to the liberties of their
country.

And we do solemnly bind ourselves and our constituents, under the ties aforesaid, to adhere to this association,
until such parts of the several acts of parliament passed since the close of the last war, as impose or continue duties
on tea, wine, molasses, syrups paneles, coffee, sugar, pimento, indigo, foreign paper, glass, and painters' colours,
imported into America, and extend the powers of the admiralty courts beyond their ancient limits, deprive the
American subject of trial by jury, authorize the judge's certificate to indemnify the prosecutor from damages, that
he might otherwise be liable to from a trial by his peers, require oppressive security from a claimant of ships or
goods seized, before he shall be allowed to defend his property, are repealed.-And until that part of the act of the 12
G. 3. ch. 24, entitled "An act for the better securing his majesty's dock-yards magazines, ships, ammunition, and
stores," by which any persons charged with committing any of the offenses therein described, in America, may be
tried in any shire or county within the realm, is repealed-and until the four acts, passed the last session of
parliament, viz. that for stopping the port and blocking up the harbour of Boston-that for altering the charter and
government of the Massachusetts-Bay-and that which is entitled "An act for the better administration of justice,
&c."-and that "for extending the limits of Quebec, &c." are repealed. And we recommend it to the provincial
conventions, and to the committees in the respective colonies, to establish such farther regulations as they may
think proper, for carrying into execution this association. The foregoing association being determined upon by the
Congress, was ordered to be subscribed by the several members thereof; and thereupon, we have hereunto set our
respective names accordingly.

IN CONGRESS, PHILADELPHIA, October 20, 1774.

Signed, PEYTON RANDOLPH, President.