Which document was the first U.S. governing framework before the Constitution?

The Articles of Confederation were the first U.S. governing framework before the Constitution.

The Continental Congress adopted the Articles in 1777, but they did not take effect until all thirteen states ratified them in 1781. The document created a “firm league of friendship” among the states and gave the national government limited powers.

Under the Articles, Congress could conduct diplomacy, declare war, and manage certain national matters, but it could not directly tax citizens or regulate interstate commerce. Each state had one vote in Congress, regardless of population. These weaknesses contributed to calls for a stronger federal system.

The Constitution replaced the Articles in 1789. The two documents are often confused because both organized the United States after independence, but the Articles came first and established a looser union during the early national period.