What was the name of the first governing framework of the United States?

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

The Articles created a confederation of thirteen states and took effect on March 1, 1781, after Maryland became the last state to ratify them. The document gave Congress authority over diplomacy, war, treaties, and western territories, but it did not create a separate executive branch or a national court system.

Each state received one vote in Congress, regardless of population. Congress could request money and troops from the states but generally could not compel them to provide either. It also lacked authority to regulate interstate commerce or levy taxes directly, creating serious financial and administrative difficulties.

The weaknesses of the Articles helped prompt the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Constitution replaced the Articles after the new system was ratified. The Articles nevertheless provided the legal framework under which the United States conducted the final years of the Revolutionary War and negotiated the Treaty of Paris.