The Articles of Confederation took effect as the first U.S. governing charter in 1781.
The Articles created a loose union of states and defined Congress as the central governing body. The document was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1777, but it did not become operational until Maryland ratified it on March 1, 1781. That final ratification occurred while the Revolutionary War was still underway.
Under the Articles, each state retained substantial sovereignty, and Congress lacked important powers such as the authority to impose federal taxes or regulate interstate commerce. The system helped coordinate the war and manage western territories, but its weaknesses became increasingly apparent after independence. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 eventually produced the U.S. Constitution, which replaced the Articles when the new government began operating in 1789.