Today, Maryland finally approves the Articles of Confederation, three years after the deadline.

Congress drafted the Articles of Confederation in a process that started in 1776. Larger states wanted votes to be proportional according to population, whilst the small states wanted to continue. With the status quo for one vote per state.

Northern states wished to count the southern states slave population when determining votes. States without western land wanted those with claims to yield them to Congress.

Virginia was the only state to ratify by the deadline. Most of the states wanted to place conditions that would benefit them. Ten further states ratified dueling the spring of 1778, but small states such as New Jersey and Delaware still refused.

They made the current Constitution in 1779, giving federal government bugger authority over the states and creating a legislature.