What document became the first constitution of the United States during the Revolutionary era?

The Articles of Confederation became the first constitution of the United States during the Revolutionary era.

The Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to prepare the Articles in June 1776, and Congress approved the final text in November 1777. All thirteen states had to ratify it before it could take effect. Maryland became the last state to ratify the Articles on March 1, 1781.

The Articles created a “league of friendship” among the states and gave Congress responsibility for diplomacy, war, and western territories. However, Congress could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce, and major decisions often required a difficult supermajority. These limitations contributed to calls for a stronger federal system.

The Articles remained in force until the United States Constitution replaced them in 1789. The two documents are often confused because both organized the national government, but the Constitution created a more powerful federal structure with separate branches.