Which document became the first constitution of the United States under the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation became the first constitution of the United States.

The Second Continental Congress debated the Articles in Philadelphia from July 1776 through November 1777. The document created a confederation of states and gave Congress authority over diplomacy, war, and certain national matters, but it did not create a strong executive branch or a national court system.

The Articles took effect on March 1, 1781, after all thirteen states ratified them. They governed the United States through the final years of the Revolutionary War and the postwar Confederation period.

The Articles are often confused with the Constitution, which replaced them in 1789. Weaknesses such as Congress’s inability to levy taxes directly or regulate interstate commerce encouraged calls for a stronger federal framework. The Constitutional Convention met in 1787 and produced the document still in force today.