The Articles of Confederation came into force on March 1, 1781.
The Articles served as the first frame of government for the United States during the Revolutionary War and the years immediately afterward. The Second Continental Congress finalized the document on November 15, 1777, but it required ratification by all 13 states before taking effect.
Maryland was the last state to ratify. Its approval ended a process that had taken more than three years, allowing Congress to proclaim the Articles operative on March 1, 1781. The new system gave Congress responsibility for diplomacy, war, and western territories but left most governmental power with the states.
The Articles are often confused with the Declaration of Independence, which announced separation from Britain in 1776. They are also distinct from the Constitution, which replaced them in 1789 after delegates concluded that the Confederation government lacked sufficient national authority.