The Articles of Confederation became effective on March 1, 1781, after final ratification.
The Articles were the first written constitution of the United States. The Second Continental Congress approved a draft in 1777, but the document could not take effect until all 13 states ratified it. Maryland delayed approval because it wanted western land claims addressed.
Maryland became the final state to ratify the Articles on March 1, 1781. The agreement established a confederation in which the states retained substantial sovereignty. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage western territories, but it could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce.
The Articles government helped direct the final years of the Revolutionary War and organize the new country. Its weaknesses, especially the lack of reliable revenue and limited national authority, led to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The Constitution replaced the Articles after taking effect in 1789.