On what date did the Articles of Confederation take effect for all thirteen states?

The Articles of Confederation took effect for all thirteen states on March 1, 1781.

Congress approved the Articles on November 15, 1777, but the document did not become operative immediately. Each state had to ratify it, and disagreements over western land claims delayed unanimous approval. Maryland was the final state to ratify the Articles.

Once Maryland completed ratification, the Articles became the nation’s first frame of government. The Continental Congress was commonly referred to as the Congress of the Confederation, although much of its organization and work continued from the Revolutionary War period.

The Articles established a league of states with a relatively weak central government. Problems involving finance, military support, and interstate commerce helped persuade national leaders that reform was necessary. The Constitutional Convention produced a new governing document, which replaced the Articles on March 4, 1789.