What was the first governing document of the United States, later replaced by the Constitution in 1789?

The Articles of Confederation were the first governing document of the United States, later replaced by the Constitution in 1789.

The Articles created a loose union of states and established a Congress with limited powers. Congress could conduct diplomacy, make treaties, manage western territories, and declare war, but it could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce. Each state had one vote in Congress regardless of population.

The Articles were approved by Congress in 1777, but disagreements over western land claims delayed full ratification until March 1, 1781. They governed the United States during the final years of the Revolutionary War and the first postwar period. Problems with national finance, trade, and enforcement encouraged calls for reform.

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 produced a replacement rather than a simple amendment. The Constitution began operating in 1789, giving the federal government stronger powers. The Articles therefore belong to the early national period that followed the independence commemorated by America250.