The Articles of Confederation became the first governing framework of the United States before the Constitution.
The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777, during the Revolutionary War. They created a “firm league of friendship” among the states and established Congress as the central institution of the Confederation.
The Articles took effect after the final state ratified them on March 1, 1781. Their system gave states substantial independence and gave Congress limited authority. Congress could conduct foreign affairs, make treaties, and manage western territories, but it could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce.
Financial weakness and disputes over national authority contributed to calls for reform after the war. The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in 1787 and replaced the Articles with the U.S. Constitution. The Declaration of Independence announced separation from Britain; it was not a governing framework.