The Articles of Confederation took effect in 1781 as the United States’ first national framework of government.
The Second Continental Congress finalized the Articles on November 15, 1777, and sent them to the states for ratification. They could not take effect until every state approved them. Maryland was the last holdout, largely because of disputes over western land claims, and its ratification completed the process in February 1781.
Congress formally received Maryland’s assent on March 1, 1781. That date is commonly treated as the Articles’ effective date. The document created a confederation in which the states retained substantial power, while Congress had limited authority over taxation, commerce, and enforcement.
The system helped coordinate the Revolutionary War and the early republic, but its weaknesses encouraged calls for a stronger federal government. The Constitution superseded the Articles in 1789.