What document served as the United States government's first constitution before the Constitution celebrated by America250?

The Articles of Confederation served as the United States government's first constitution before the Constitution celebrated by America250.

The Articles created a national government for the thirteen states during and after the Revolutionary War. The Continental Congress adopted them on November 15, 1777, but they did not take effect until March 1, 1781, when Maryland became the last state to ratify them. Their formal name was the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union.

The system gave most authority to the states and made the national government deliberately weak. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage western territories, but it could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce. Financial and administrative problems eventually led to calls for reform.

The Constitutional Convention met in 1787 and produced the United States Constitution, which replaced the Articles in 1789. The Mayflower Compact was a colonial agreement, the Federalist Papers were essays supporting ratification, and the Northwest Ordinance was legislation governing western territory.