The Articles of Confederation took effect on March 1, 1781, after Maryland became the final state to ratify them.
Congress approved the Articles for distribution to the states on November 15, 1777. Ratification took nearly three and a half years because Maryland withheld approval while larger states retained western land claims. Maryland ratified on February 2, 1781, and Congress received confirmation soon afterward.
The Articles created a perpetual union in which the states retained substantial sovereignty. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage certain national matters, but it lacked a separate executive branch, a national court system, and a dependable power to tax. Those weaknesses later encouraged calls for a stronger federal structure. The Articles remained the nation's governing framework until March 4, 1789, when the Constitution replaced them. The effective date is therefore distinct from the 1777 congressional approval date and the 1781 Maryland ratification date.