What document served as the first constitution of the United States before the Constitution, a milestone revisited by America250?

The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States before the current Constitution.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777, but all 13 states had to ratify them before they took effect. Maryland became the final state to ratify, on March 1, 1781. The Articles then provided the legal framework for the wartime Confederation.

Their system deliberately gave most power to the states. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage western territories, but it could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce. Each state had one vote in Congress regardless of population.

Financial problems, trade disputes, and difficulty obtaining military supplies exposed the system's weaknesses. The Constitutional Convention met in 1787 to create a stronger federal structure. The Articles were not formally erased, but the Constitution replaced them after ratification and the new government began operating in 1789.