The Articles of Confederation became the first operating constitution of the United States on March 1, 1781.
The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles in November 1777, but they did not take effect until Maryland became the last state to ratify them in 1781. The Articles created a “firm league of friendship” among the states and established Congress as the central governing body.
Under this system, Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, manage western territories, and request funds from the states. It could not directly levy taxes or regulate interstate commerce, and many major decisions required unusually broad state support.
The Articles remained in force until the Constitution replaced them in 1789. They are sometimes confused with the Declaration of Independence because both emerged from the Revolutionary era, but they served different purposes: the Declaration announced separation from Britain, while the Articles organized cooperation among the new states.