What was the first governing framework of the United States after independence?

The Articles of Confederation were the first governing framework of the United States after independence.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777, but all thirteen states did not ratify them until March 1, 1781. The document created a “firm league of friendship” among the states and formally gave the Confederation Congress authority in areas such as war, diplomacy, and western lands.

The Articles established a deliberately weak central government. Congress could not directly tax citizens, regulate interstate commerce, or easily enforce its decisions. Each state had one vote, regardless of population, and major actions often required the approval of nine states.

Financial problems, trade disputes, and difficulties responding to unrest contributed to calls for reform. The Constitutional Convention met in 1787 and produced the Constitution, which replaced the Articles in 1789. The Articles were therefore not the Constitution, but they were an important predecessor.