What framework served as the first constitution of the United States from 1781 to 1789?

The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States from 1781 to 1789.

The Continental Congress adopted the Articles in 1777, but all thirteen states had to ratify them before they took effect. Maryland became the final state to ratify them on March 1, 1781.

The Articles created a confederation in which the states retained most governmental power. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage western territories, but it could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce.

These weaknesses contributed to calls for a stronger national government. The Constitutional Convention met in 1787 and produced the United States Constitution, which replaced the Articles when the new government began operating in 1789.