What was the first constitution of the United States, in force before the Constitution celebrated by America250?

The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States.

The Second Continental Congress approved the Articles on November 15, 1777, but they did not take effect immediately. Ratification required all thirteen states, and Maryland’s approval was the final one. The Articles formally came into force on March 1, 1781.

The document created a confederation in which the states retained substantial power. Congress could conduct diplomacy, manage military affairs, and make important national decisions, but it lacked several powers associated with the later federal government, including a general power to tax individuals directly and a strong executive branch.

The Articles remained the nation’s governing framework until March 4, 1789, when the Constitution replaced them. Their weaknesses became especially visible in matters of finance, interstate trade, and national defense. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 therefore produced a new framework rather than simply amending the Articles.