[hirn_man]

Well I would say the Constitution of the United States, ratified by the 13 entities that had been governed under the Articles of Confederation(I spelled Articles right this time) pretty well rendered them null and void without HAVING to formally disolve them.

But thats just me.

[4CJ]

... pretty well rendered them null and void without HAVING to formally disolve them.

Either the states seceded and the Articles are dissolved, or else they still are applicable. It was several years before the 13th holdout (Rhode Island & Providence Plantations) ratified the Constitution, so what was the legal status of the 12 prior? If North Carolina and Rhode Island never acceded, would the Articles still be binding?