Articles of Confederation: Majority vs. Minority Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Article.Sentence)

Quote #4

And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the Union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them; unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State. (13.2)

One of the biggest problems with the Articles is that they were impossible to amend—you were not going to get thirteen states to agree unanimously on big changes to the government. No wonder they decided to scrap the whole thing after planning to "revise" it at the Annapolis Convention.

Quote #5

And we do further solemnly plight and engage the faith of our respective constituents, that they shall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions, which by the said Confederation are submitted to them. (13.4)

This is the sentence Daniel Shays ignored when he rebelled against the government. Even in the politics of today, many people feel that they don't have to follow laws they disagree with.