The Articles of Confederation took effect on March 1, 1781.
Congress finalized the Articles on November 15, 1777, but the document required approval by all 13 states. Ratification took several years because states disputed western land claims and the powers of the proposed national government. Maryland was the final state to ratify, clearing the way for the Articles to become the nation’s operating framework.
The Articles created a permanent union of the states but gave Congress limited powers. Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage some national affairs, yet it could not directly tax individuals or reliably regulate interstate commerce. States retained most governing authority.
The weaknesses exposed during the Confederation period encouraged leaders to meet at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The Constitution replaced the Articles as the federal government’s framework on March 4, 1789. The dates are therefore easy to mix up: 1777 marks completion, 1781 marks effectiveness, and 1789 marks replacement.