What document became the first written constitution of the United States?

The Articles of Confederation became the first written constitution of the United States.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777, but all thirteen states had to ratify them before they took effect. Maryland’s approval on March 1, 1781, completed that process. The Articles created a confederation in which the states retained most governmental power.

The national Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage western territories, but it could not impose federal taxes or regulate interstate commerce effectively. There was no separate executive branch and no national judiciary. These weaknesses became more visible after the Revolutionary War.

The Constitution replaced the Articles in 1789. The two documents are not interchangeable: the Articles established the first national framework, while the Constitution created the stronger federal system still in use. The Articles’ western land policies nevertheless helped organize the future expansion of the United States.