What was the first written constitution governing the United States as a national union?

The Articles of Confederation were the first written constitution governing the United States as a national union.

The Articles created a “firm league of friendship” among the states and established a unicameral Congress. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, manage western territories, and handle certain national matters, but it lacked several powers associated with a stronger federal government, including the ability to levy taxes directly or regulate interstate commerce.

The Continental Congress approved the Articles in 1777, but they did not become effective until March 1, 1781, when Maryland became the final state to ratify them. The document remained the nation’s governing framework until the Constitution replaced it in 1789.

The Articles were not simply a failure. Under them, Congress helped manage the Revolutionary War and adopted the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which organized territory north of the Ohio River. Financial weakness, trade disputes, and difficulty securing consistent state support eventually encouraged calls for constitutional reform.