What document was the first constitution of the United States commemorated by America250?

The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States commemorated by America250.

Officially titled the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, the document created the first national framework for the United States. The Second Continental Congress adopted it on November 15, 1777, but it did not take effect until March 1, 1781, when all thirteen states had ratified it.

The Articles established a Congress but gave the central government limited powers. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage western territories, yet it could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce. Each state had one vote, regardless of population or size.

Weaknesses in the system led to calls for reform after the Revolutionary War. The Constitutional Convention met in 1787 and produced a new Constitution, which replaced the Articles in 1789. A common mix-up is treating the Declaration of Independence as a constitution; the Declaration announced separation from Britain but did not establish a national government.