What document did Congress approve for state ratification on November 15, 1777, during the founding era celebrated by America250?

Congress approved the Articles of Confederation for state ratification on November 15, 1777, during the founding era celebrated by America250.

The Articles created a national framework for the thirteen states during the Revolutionary War. They established a Congress but gave the central government limited powers, including no independent power to impose taxes or regulate interstate commerce. Each state retained substantial sovereignty, and major decisions often required broad agreement.

The document was approved by Congress in 1777, but it did not take effect until all thirteen states ratified it in 1781. Maryland’s delayed ratification was the final approval. The Articles then governed the United States until the Constitution replaced them in 1789.

The Articles are sometimes confused with the Constitution because both served as national governing documents. The Constitution created a stronger federal structure with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. America250’s focus on the founding period includes this earlier experiment in national government, not only the Declaration itself.