Which document established the United States’ first national government during the Revolutionary era?

The Articles of Confederation established the United States’ first national government during the Revolutionary era.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777, and they took effect after the final state ratification on March 1, 1781. The document created a perpetual union of states and gave Congress authority over diplomacy, war, and western territories.

The system deliberately kept the central government weak. Congress had no independent power to tax individuals, regulate interstate commerce, or enforce many decisions. Each state retained substantial sovereignty, and major measures often required broad agreement.

The weaknesses became increasingly obvious after the war, contributing to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Constitution replaced the Articles in 1789. Thus, the Articles were not the same document as the Constitution, although they were an important predecessor to it.