The Articles of Confederation took effect on March 1, 1781, as the first constitution of the United States.
The Second Continental Congress approved the Articles for state consideration on November 15, 1777. Ratification took more than three years because Maryland withheld approval while states with western land claims negotiated how those claims would be handled. Maryland became the final state to ratify on February 2, 1781, allowing the Articles to enter into force in March.
The Articles created a league of friendship among the states and preserved substantial state sovereignty. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage certain national matters, but it lacked key powers such as direct taxation and broad authority to regulate commerce.
The system’s weaknesses contributed to calls for a stronger federal government. The Constitutional Convention produced a replacement Constitution, which superseded the Articles on March 4, 1789. Thus, March 1, 1781, marks an earlier constitutional stage than the framework used by the United States today.