The Articles of Confederation officially took effect on March 1, 1781, after all thirteen states had ratified them. The Articles served as the first national framework of government for the United States.
The Second Continental Congress finalized the Articles on November 15, 1777, but ratification took years. Maryland delayed approval because it wanted states with western land claims, especially Virginia, to surrender those claims to the national government. Maryland became the final state to ratify the Articles on February 2, 1781.
The Articles created a Congress but gave the central government limited powers. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage western territories, but it could not directly impose taxes or regulate interstate commerce. Financial and military weaknesses contributed to calls for a stronger federal system. The Constitution replaced the Articles on March 4, 1789, after the Constitutional Convention and state ratification process.