In 5–6 -acion, -acyon. [a. F. confédération, in OF. -acion (14th c. in Littré), ad. L. confœderātiōn-em (Jerome), n. of action f. confœderāre: see CONFEDERATE.]
1. The action of confederating, or condition of being confederated; a league, an alliance (between persons or states; in mod. use only the latter). Formerly also in a bad sense, Conspiracy.
Articles of confederation: provisions (embodied in clauses) in accordance with which parties confederate; in U.S. Hist. esp. those adopted by the Continental Congress of 1777, in accordance with which the thirteen American colonies that had separated from Great Britain formed themselves into the confederation, which was superseded by the closer union established in 1789.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xv. 116. Þe Confederatyown Ðat wes be-twene Þe Rewmys twa.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 289. Thomas Mounbray [and] Richard Scrop … mad confederacion that thei schuld help to amende the insolens in the reme.
1515. Barclay, Egloges, III. (1575), C ij/3. They have no frendship but conspiration, And to do mischiefe confederation.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Kings ix. 14. Iehu … made a confederacion agaynst Ioram.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1638), 197. [They] met accordingly, and there fully concluded all the Articles of their confederation.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 60. Confederations and alliances between Princes are rarely long-lived.
1777. (title) Articles of Confederation and perpetual union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, [etc.].
1802. Adolphus, Hist. Eng. (1817), II. 364. Soon after the declaration of independence, they voted articles of confederation and union, in which they assumed the appellation of ‘the United States of America.’
1825. T. Jefferson, Autobiog., Wks. 1859, I. 52. A majority of the States, necessary by the Confederation to constitute a House.
1885. Manch. Exam., 14 Oct., 5/3. [A] scheme for the confederation of the colonies.
2. A number of states (or formerly of persons) united by a league; a body of states united for certain common purposes.
In modern political use, ‘confederation’ is usually limited to a permanent union of sovereign states for common action in relation to externals. Such were the following: Germanic Confederation, the union of the German States under the presidency of the Emperor of Austria from 1815 to 1866. Confederation of the Rhine, the union of certain German States under the protection of Napoleon Bonaparte from 1806 to 1813. New England Confederation, the union of four New England colonies for common defence against the Dutch and the Indians, 1643–84. The United States of America are commonly described as a Confederation (or confederacy) from 1777 to 1789; but from 1789, their closer union has been considered a ‘federation’ or federal republic.
1622. Heylin, Microcosmus (1625), 281. An offensive and defensive league; into which first entered the Uranians, Swits and Vndervaldens, Ao. 1316; neither were they all united into one confederation till the yeare 1513.
1838. Penny Cycl., XI. 191. The present Germanic Confederation, established by … the Congress of Vienna on the 8th June, 1815, consists of 38 Independent States. The central point and the organ of the Confederation is the Federative diet, which sits at Frankfort on the Main.
1839–42. Alison, Hist. Europe, xlii. The title of Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine.
1841. W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., I. 45. Their confederation is said to have always consisted of twelve towns.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. xviii. 208. Doubtless the foremost member of the Danish Civic Confederation.
Hence Confederationist, an adherent or supporter of a confederation.
1861. Louisville Jrnl. The confederationists may be of one bone with their new President.
1865. Pall Mall G., No. 307. 6/2. ‘Confederationist’ or young Irelander.
