Which document served as the United States’ first frame of government from 1781 to 1789?

The Articles of Confederation served as the United States’ first frame of government from 1781 to 1789.

The Second Continental Congress approved the Articles in 1777, but they did not take effect until March 1, 1781, after all thirteen states ratified them. The Articles created a confederation in which the states retained extensive sovereignty and Congress had limited powers.

Under this system, Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage western territories, but it lacked a separate executive branch and had no general power to tax individuals. Financial and political weaknesses helped prompt the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Constitution replaced the Articles on March 4, 1789, creating a stronger federal structure.