What governing document preceded the United States Constitution?

The Articles of Confederation preceded the United States Constitution as the national governing framework.

The Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777, but they became fully effective on March 1, 1781, after the required states ratified them. The Articles created a confederation of states and a Congress with limited central powers.

Under the Articles, Congress could conduct diplomacy, manage western territories, and oversee the Revolutionary War effort, but it could not levy federal taxes or regulate interstate commerce effectively. Each state generally had one vote, regardless of population.

Financial problems, trade disputes, and the weakness of the central government encouraged calls for reform. Rather than amend the Articles, delegates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention drafted an entirely new Constitution. The Constitution replaced the Articles after ratification and the launch of the new federal government in 1789.