What was the name of the first U.S. constitution, used before the Constitution celebrated in America250?

The Articles of Confederation were the first U.S. constitution, preceding the Constitution celebrated in America250. The Second Continental Congress approved the Articles for distribution to the states on November 15, 1777.

The Articles came into force on March 1, 1781, after Maryland became the final state to ratify them. They created a confederation in which the states retained substantial sovereignty. Congress had important responsibilities, including diplomacy and war, but it lacked several powers associated with the later federal government, such as broad taxation authority and a separate executive branch.

The system helped the United States conduct the Revolutionary War and negotiate the Treaty of Paris. Its weaknesses became increasingly apparent after the war, especially when Congress struggled to raise revenue and manage interstate problems.

The Constitutional Convention met in 1787 and produced a new framework rather than simply amending the Articles. The Constitution replaced the Articles on March 4, 1789, creating the federal government still associated with the United States today.