Maryland was the last American colony-turned-state to ratify the Articles of Confederation. Its approval on February 2, 1781, completed the unanimous ratification required for the new union’s first governing document.
Maryland delayed because it objected to western land claims held by larger states, especially Virginia. Maryland feared that states with claims beyond the Appalachian Mountains would become too powerful if they retained those territories. It insisted that the western lands be ceded to the common union instead.
The Articles had been completed by Congress in 1777, but the ratification process took more than three years. Maryland’s decision was reported to Congress in February, and the Articles officially took effect on March 1, 1781. They created a confederation in which the states retained most sovereignty and the central government had limited powers.
The Articles remained in force until the Constitution replaced them in 1789. Their weaknesses included Congress’s inability to levy taxes directly or reliably enforce national decisions.