States' rights, meaning the sovereignty and independence of individual US states, was guaranteed in the Articles of Confederation, the precursor to the U.S. Constitution. It stated that the individual states "hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare". The articles created a weak central government with most of the power being kept by the individual states. Within a short time, it was realized that a stronger central government and a constitution was needed.