Which document, adopted in 1777, first organized the United States as a confederation?

The Articles of Confederation first organized the United States as a confederation.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777, while the Revolutionary War was still being fought. The document created a “firm league of friendship” among the states and established Congress as the central institution of the new union.

The Articles did not create a strong executive or a national court system. Congress also lacked important powers, including the authority to impose taxes directly or regulate interstate commerce. Each state retained substantial sovereignty, and major decisions generally required broad state agreement.

The Articles became operative after Maryland completed ratification on March 1, 1781. Their weaknesses became more evident after independence, contributing to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The United States Constitution replaced the Articles in 1789, but the Articles remain the country’s first written framework of national government.