| 18 Jul 1776 |
the Declaration of Independence approved by the Continental Congress is proclaimed at a public ceremony in Boston (Boston Gazette, No. 1105, 22 Jul 1776, p. 3; Massachusetts Acts and Resolves, 5:651-653) |
| 18 Jul 1776 - 24 Oct 1780 |
State of the Massachusetts Bay [1] |
| 10 Mar 1778 |
the delegates of Massachusetts to the Continental Congress are authorized to ratify the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union in accordance with a resolution passed the General Court or Assembly (House of Representatives on 10 Mar 1778, concurred in by the Council on 10 Mar 1778) (Massachusetts House Journal, 1778, p. 206; Massachusetts Council Journal, MS, 1778, pp. 376-377; Journals of the Continental Congress, 11:663) |
| 9 Jul 1778 |
the engrossed copy of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union is signed and ratified by the delegates of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina to the Continental Congress, session of the Congress, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Journals of the Continental Congress, 11:677) |
| 25 Oct 1780 |
the Constitution or Frame of Government came into operation "on the last Wednesday in October next" (25 Oct 1780) in accordance with a resolution passed by the Convention on 16 Jun 1780 (Massachusetts Convention 1779-1780, pp. 186-187) |
| 25 Oct 1780 - |
Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
| 1 Mar 1781 |
Massachusetts
formed part of the United States upon the taking effect of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union (Journals of the Continental Congress, 19:213-223) |
