Articles of Confederation

Audience

To fully understand Dickinson's draft of the Articles, one needed legal training or at least a high degree of education. Literate people could understand most of the document, but the legal phrases and jargon have different, hidden meanings that could be lost on the general reader. In contrast, the adopted Articles of Confederation is written in straightforward language with a quite plain meaning. The language does not have hidden meanings.

The Articles would have been read by many different people throughout the colonies. Copies of the final document were made and sent to all state assemblies for ratification. From there, copies were circulated at the pleasure of the state legislatures. The Virginia legislature, for example, reviewed and debated the Articles without making the document public. Massachusetts, in contrast, printed 250 copies of the Articles and sent them to the towns for review and comment.