The Articles of Confederation were the first national governing framework of the United States, later replaced by the Constitution celebrated during America250.
Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777, during the Revolutionary War. The states did not complete ratification until March 1, 1781, when Maryland became the final state to approve them.
The Articles created a “firm league of friendship” among the states and gave Congress authority over diplomacy, war, and western territories. However, Congress could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce, and each state retained substantial independence.
Difficulties under this system helped inspire the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Constitution replaced the Articles after ratification by the states. The Articles therefore belong to the period between the Declaration of Independence and the federal government established under the Constitution.