Latest / Voices Of Life / Did You Know? America's First National Agreement Wasn't the Articles of Confederation—It Was the Forgotten Articles of Association

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Did You Know? America's First National Agreement Wasn't the Articles of Confederation—It Was the Forgotten Articles of Association · Voices Of Life

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  Before the Declaration of Independence, before
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  the Articles of Confederation, before the colonies
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  ever declared themselves a free people, there
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  was an agreement bold, united, and peaceful that
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  set the stage for American independence. Today
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  on Voices of Life, we explore a forgotten turning
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  point in our nation's story. The Articles of
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  Association. also known as the Continental Association
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  of 1774. Guiding us through this remarkable moment
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  is our host, Pastor David, whose pastoral insight
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  and historical clarity illuminate how faith,
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  unity, and conviction shape the earliest steps
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  toward American liberty. Thank you for joining
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  me today on Voices of Life, a ministry of the
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  Church for Life. I'm Pastor David. As we honor
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  250 years of faith and freedom, we're taking
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  time to rediscover the moments that prepared
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  the way for America's independence, including
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  the ones history often overlooks. And one of
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  the most important is the Articles of Association.
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  This wasn't a declaration of war. It wasn't a
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  constitution. It wasn't even a call for independence.
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  It was something quieter. but incredibly powerful.
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  It was the first united action of all 13 colonies.
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  On October 20, 1774, the First Continental Congress
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  adopted the Articles of Association as a peaceful
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  response to what the colonies called the Entourable
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  Acts. This was not a rebellion, this was a resolve.
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  The colonies believed that if Britain felt enough
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  economic pressure, Parliament would be forced
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  to change its policies without a single shot
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  being fired. The Articles were essentially an
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  economic boycott. The colonies agreed to 1. Stop
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  importing British goods beginning December 1,
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  1774. 2. Stop consuming British products whenever
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  possible. 3. Stop exporting goods to Britain.
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  Ireland and the British West Indies if the intolerable
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  acts weren't repealed by September 10, 1775.
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  Discourage luxury and extravagance, including
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  imported fashions. End participation in the slave
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  trade, halting the importation of enslaved people
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  after December 1, 1774. Encourage local manufacturing
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  and agriculture to replace imported goods. this
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  was a sacrifice this was discipline and this
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  was unity one of the most remarkable features
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  of the articles was the creation of committees
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  of inspection and observation these committees
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  inspected merchants for compliance published
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  violators names in the newspapers encouraged
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  communities to boycott non -compliant businesses
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  and became early forms of local self -government
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  And here's the incredible part. These committees
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  later evolved into the revolutionary governments
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  that replaced royal authority. The seeds of independence
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  were already growing. Now you might ask yourself
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  why they mattered. The Articles of Association
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  were significant because they united the 13 colonies
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  in a common cause for the first time, demonstrated
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  the Americans' could cooperate without British
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  control, created an organized system of local
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  communities, increased tensions with Britain,
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  prepared the colonies for resistance when fighting
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  began at Lexington and Concord in April of 1775.
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  This was the quiet before the storm, but it was
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  not passive. It was purposeful. Now, did that
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  work? Well, economically, yes, it worked. British
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  exports to the colonies dropped sharply. Merchants
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  in Britain petitioned Parliament to repeal the
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  coercive's laws. But history moved quickly. Before
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  the boycott could achieve its full political
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  effect, the first shots of the revolution were
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  fired. Still, the Articles had done their work.
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  They had united the colonies, organized them,
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  and prepared them for what was coming. It's easy
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  to confuse the Articles of Association with the
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  later Articles of Confederation, but they were
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  very different. The Articles of Association from
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  1774 was an economic boycott. It was created
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  by the First Continental Congress. It was a peaceful
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  pressure and a temporary agreement. Now, the
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  Articles of Confederation which were adopted
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  in 1777 and ratified in 1781, was America's first
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  national constitution. It was done by the Second
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  Continental Congress, government of the new United
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  States, and in effect until the Constitution
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  of 1789. One prepared the colonies for unity.
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  The other governed that unity. So what was the
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  legacy? Well, As we celebrate 250 years of faith
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  and freedom, the Articles of Association remind
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  us that liberty often begins with cooperation,
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  conviction, and courage. Before independence
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  was declared, before a constitution was written,
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  America's people were already choosing unity.
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  And that unity, grounded in faith and guided
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  by providence, helped shape the nation as we
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  know it today. We have created the full narrative
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  for the Articles of Association, and we'll be
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  presenting them for your listening pleasure.
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  Kent and Sussex -on -Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
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  North Carolina, and South Carolina, deputed to
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  represent them in a Continental Congress, held
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  in the city of Philadelphia on the fifth day
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  of September, 1774, avowing our allegiance to
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  His Majesty, our affection and regard for our
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  fellow subjects in Great Britain and elsewhere.
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  Affected with the deepest anxiety and most alarming
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  apprehensions at those grievances and distresses
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  with which His Majesty's American subjects are
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  oppressed, and having taken under our most serious
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  deliberation the state of the whole continent,
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  find that the present unhappy situation of our
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  affairs is occasioned by a ruinous system of
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  colony administration. adopted by the British
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  Ministry about the year 1763, evidently calculated
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  for enslaving these colonies, and with them,
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  the British Empire, in prosecution of which system,
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  various acts of Parliament have been passed for
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  raising a revenue in America, for depriving the
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  American subjects, in many instances, of the
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  constitutional trial by jury. exposing their
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  lives to danger by directing a new and illegal
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  trial beyond the seas for crimes alleged to have
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  been committed in America and in prosecution
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  of the same system. Several late, cruel and oppressive
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  acts have been passed respecting the town of
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  Boston and the Massachusetts Bay and also an
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  act for extending the province of Quebec. so
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  as to border on the western frontiers of these
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  colonies, establishing an arbitrary government
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  therein, and discouraging the settlement of British
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  subjects in that wide extended country. Thus,
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  by the influence of civil principles and ancient
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  prejudices, to dispose the inhabitants to act
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  with hostility against the free Protestant colonies,
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  whenever a wicked ministry shall choose so to
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  direct them. to obtain redress of these grievances,
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  which threaten destruction to the lives, liberty,
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  and property of His Majesty's subjects in North
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  America. We are of opinion that a non -importation,
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  non -consumption, and non -exportation agreement,
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  faithfully adhered to, will prove the most speedy,
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  effectual, and peaceable measure. To these ends,
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  we do. For ourselves, and the inhabitants of
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  the several colonies whom we represent, firmly
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  agree and associate under the sacred ties of
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  virtue, honor, and love of our country, as follows.
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  First at Fromm, and after the first day of December
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  next, we will not import into British America,
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  from Great Britain or Ireland. any goods, wares,
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  or merchandise whatsoever, or from any other
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  place, any such goods, wares, or merchandise,
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  as shall have been exported from Great Britain
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  or Ireland. Nor will we, after that day, import
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  any East India tea from any part of the world,
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  nor any molasses, syrups, panellas, coffee, or
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  pimento. from the British plantations or from
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  Dominica, nor wines from Madeira or the Western
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  Islands, nor foreign indigo. Second, we will
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  neither import nor purchase any slave imported
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  after the first day of December next, after which
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  time we will wholly discontinue the slave trade
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  and will neither be concerned in it ourselves.
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  nor will we hire our vessels, nor sell our commodities
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  or manufactures to those who are concerned in
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  it. Third is a non -consumption agreement, strictly
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  adhered to, will be an effectual security for
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  the observation of the non -importation. We,
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  as above, solemnly agree and associate that from
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  this day... We will not purchase or use any tea
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  imported on account of the East India Company,
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  or any on which a duty hath been or shall be
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  paid. And from and after the first day of March
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  next, we will not purchase or use any East India
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  tea whatever, nor will be, nor shall any person
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  for or under us purchase. or use any of those
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  goods, wares, or merchandise. We have agreed
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  not to import, which we shall know, or have cause
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  to suspect, were imported after the first day
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  of December, except such as come under the rules
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  and directions of the tenth article hereafter
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  mentioned. Fourth, the earnest desire. We will
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  not directly or indirectly. Export any merchandise,
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  or commodity whatsoever, to Great Britain Island,
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  or the West Indies, except rice to Europe. as
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  soon as possible to their factors, agents, and
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  correspondents in Great Britain and Ireland,
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  not to ship any goods to them on any pretense
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  whatsoever, as they cannot be received in America,
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  and if any merchant residing in Great Britain
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  or Ireland shall directly or indirectly ship
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  any goods, wares, or merchandise for America.
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  In order to break the said non -importation agreement,
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  or in any manner contravene the same, on such
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  unworthy conduct being well attested, it ought
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  to be made public. And on the same being so done,
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  we will not from thenceforth have any commercial
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  connection with such merchant. Sixth, that such
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  as are owners of vessels will give positive orders
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  to their captains, or masters not to receive
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  on board their vessels any goods prohibited by
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  the said non -importation agreement, on pain
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  of immediate dismission from their service seventh
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  we will use our utmost endeavors to improve the
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  breed of sheep and increase their number to the
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  greatest extent and to that end we will kill
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  them as seldom as may be especially those of
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  the most profitable kind nor will we export any
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  to the west indies or elsewhere and those of
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  us who are or may become overstocked with, or
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  can conveniently spare any sheep. We'll dispose
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  of them to our neighbours, especially the poorer
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  sort, on moderate terms. Eighth, we will, in
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  our several stations, encourage frugality, economy
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  and industry, and promote agriculture, arts and
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  the manufactures of this country, especially
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  that of wool. And will discountenance and discourage
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  every species of extravagance and dissipation.
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  Especially all horse racing and all kinds of
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  gaming, cockfighting, exhibitions of shows, plays
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  and other expensive diversions and entertainments.
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  And on the death of any relation or friend, none
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  of us, or any of our families, will go into any
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  further mourning dressed in a black crepe or
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  ribbon on the arm or hat. for gentlemen, and
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  a black ribbon and necklace for ladies, and we
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  will discontinue the giving of gloves and scarves
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  at funerals. Ninth, such as are vendors of goods
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  or merchandise, will not take advantage of the
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  scarcity of goods that may be occasioned by this
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  association, but will sell the same at the rates
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  we have been respectively accustomed to do for
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  twelve months last past. And if any vendor of
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  goods or merchandise shall sell such goods on
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  higher terms, or shall, in any manner, or by
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  any device whatsoever, violate or depart from
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  this agreement, no person ought, nor will any
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  of us deal with any such person, or his or her
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  factor, or agent, at any time thereafter, for
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  any commodity whatever. in case any merchant
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  trader or other person shall import any goods
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  or merchandise after the first day of december
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  and before the first day of february next the
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  same ought forthwith at the election of the owner
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  to be either reshipped or delivered up to the
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  committee of the county or town wherein they
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  shall be imported to be stored at the risk of
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  the importer until the non -importation agreement
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  shall cease, or be sold under the direction of
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  the Committee of Force Aid, and in the last -mentioned
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  case, the owner or owners of such goods shall
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  be reimbursed out of the sales, the first cost
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  and charges, the profit, if any, to be applied
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  toward relieving and employing such poor inhabitants
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  of the town of Boston. as our immediate suffers
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  by the Boston Port Bill, and a particular account
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  of all goods so returned, stored, or sold to
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  be inserted in the public papers, and if any
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  goods or merchandise shall be imported after
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  the first day of February next, the same ought
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  forthwith to be sent back again without breaking
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  any of the packages thereof. Eleventh, that a
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  committee be chosen in every county, city, and
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  town by those who are qualified to vote for representatives
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  in the legislature, whose business it shall be
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  attentively to observe the conduct of all persons
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  touching this association, and when it shall
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  be made to appear to the satisfaction of a majority
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  of any such committee. that any person within
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  the limits of their appointment has violated
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  this association, that such majority do forthwith
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  cause the truth of the case to be published in
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  the Gazette, to the end that all such foes to
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  the rights of British America may be publicly
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  known and universally condemned as the enemies
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  of American liberty. and thenceforth we respectively
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  will break off all dealings with him or her.
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  and of every other material circumstance that
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  may occur relative to this association. Thirteenth,
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  that all manufacturers of this country be sold
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  at reasonable prices, so that no undue advantage
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  be taken of a future scarcity of goods. Fourteenth,
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  and we do further agree and resolve that we will
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  have no trade, commerce, dealings, or intercourse
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  whatsoever. with any colony or province in North
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  America, which shall not accede to, or which
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  shall hereafter violate this association, but
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  will hold them as unworthy of the rights of free
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  men, and as inimical to the liberties of their
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  country. Lastly, we do solemnly bind ourselves
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  and our constituents under the ties of force
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  to adhere to this association. until such parts
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  of the several acts of Parliament passed since
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  the close of the last war, as impose or continue
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  duties on tea, wine, molasses, syrups, penales,
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  coffee, sugar, pimento, indigo, foreign paper,
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  glass, and painters' colors imported into America,
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  and extend the powers of the Admiralty Courts
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  beyond their ancient limits, deprive the American
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  subject of trial by jury. authorize the judge's
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  certificate to indemnify the prosecutor from
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  damages that he might otherwise be liable to,
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  requiring oppressive security from a claimant
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  of ships or goods seized before he shall be allowed
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  to defend his property are repealed. And until
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  that part of the Act of the 12th George III,
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  Chapter 24, entitled An act for the better securing
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  his majesty's dockyards, magazines, ships, ammunition,
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  and stores, by which any persons charged with
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  committing any of the offenses therein described
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  in America may be tried in any shire or county
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  within the realm, is repealed. And until the
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  four acts passed in the last session of Parliament,
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  This, that for stopping the port and blocking
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  up the harbor of Boston. That for altering the
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  chart and government of the Massachusetts Bay.
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  And that which is entitled an act for the better
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  administration of justice, etc. And that for
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  extending the limits of Quebec, etc. are repealed.
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  And we recommend it to the provincial conventions.
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  and to the committees in the respective colonies
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  to establish such farther regulations as they
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  may think proper for carrying into execution
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  this association. Delegates who signed New Hampshire
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  John Sullivan. Nathaniel Folsom Massachusetts
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  Bay Thomas Cushing Samuel Adams John Adams Robert
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  Treat Payne Rhode Island Stephen Hopkins Samuel
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  Ward Connecticut We'll be right back. Samuel
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  Chase, Virginia, Peyton Randolph, Richard Henry
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  Lee, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Richard
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  Bland, Benjamin Harrison Fee, Edmund Pendleton,
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  North Carolina, William Hooper, Joseph Hewers,
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  Richard Caswell, South Carolina, Henry Middleton,
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  Christopher Gadsden, John Rutledge, Edward Rutledge.
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  Thank you for joining me for this Voices of Life
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  Did You Know special. May the story of the Articles
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  of Association inspire us to stand together with
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  the same courage and discipline and faith that
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  guided our founders. Until next time, may God
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  bless you and may God bless the United States
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  of America. And so, before the Declaration, before
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  the Confederation. America's first united stand
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  was not made with muskets, but with conviction.
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  The Articles of Association were a promise, a
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  pledge of unity, a peaceful declaration that
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  liberty was worth sacrifice and worth standing
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  for together. They showed the world that the
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  13 colonies could act as one, that courage could
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  be organized. That faith could guide a people
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  long before a nation was born. As we honor 250
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  years of faith and freedom, their story reminds
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  us that the strength of America has always begun
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  with ordinary people choosing unity, choosing
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  principle, choosing hope. Thank you for joining
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  us for this. Voices of Life special episode.
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  May the lessons of 1717E4 inspire us today. May
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  unity guide us. May faith sustain us. And may
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  God bless the United States of America.