The Articles of Confederation came into force on March 1, 1781, as the first frame of government for the United States.
The Continental Congress finalized the Articles on November 15, 1777, after more than a year of debate. The document then went to the states for ratification. Maryland was the last state to approve it, ending the long process and allowing the Articles to take effect in 1781.
The Articles created a confederation in which the states retained substantial power. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage certain national matters, but it lacked several powers associated with the later Constitution, including a general power to tax individuals directly.
The Articles remained the national governing framework until the Constitution replaced them. The Constitution became effective for the new federal government on March 4, 1789. Thus, the Articles are not the Declaration of Independence and are not the same document as the Constitution, even though all three belong to the founding era.