The Articles of Confederation became effective as the first U.S. frame of government on March 1, 1781.
The Second Continental Congress approved the Articles on November 15, 1777, but the document did not immediately take effect. Ratification required approval from all 13 states, and Maryland delayed the process because of disputes over western land claims held by other states.
Maryland became the final state to ratify the Articles on February 2, 1781. Congress received notice of that approval on March 1 and proclaimed the Articles the nation’s governing framework. They created a loose union in which the states retained substantial power.
The Articles gave Congress authority over diplomacy, war, and western territories, but Congress could not directly tax individuals or regulate interstate commerce. The system was replaced by the U.S. Constitution, which began operating on March 4, 1789. Thus, the Articles were the first national framework, not the current Constitution.