What name did the thirteen American states use for their first national government under the Articles of Confederation?

The thirteen states used the name United States of America for their first national government under the Articles of Confederation.

The Articles called the confederation “The United States of America.” The document was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1777 and became effective after Maryland supplied the final ratification on March 1, 1781.

Under the Articles, each state retained substantial sovereignty. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, borrow money, and manage western territories, but it could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce. There was no separate executive branch or national judiciary.

The system helped coordinate the war and the early republic, but its weaknesses became increasingly apparent after independence. Delegates met at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and produced a stronger federal framework. The Constitution replaced the Articles after ratification, while preserving the country’s established name.