Which state was first to ratify the Articles of Confederation?

Virginia was the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation, doing so on December 16, 1777.

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union served as the first frame of government for the United States during the Revolutionary War. The Second Continental Congress approved the document for distribution to the states on November 15, 1777.

Ratification was gradual because every state had to agree. Virginia acted first, but the process continued for more than three years. Maryland became the final state to ratify on March 1, 1781, allowing the Articles to take effect.

The Articles created a loose union with a one-house Congress and limited central powers. They were later replaced by the United States Constitution, which was drafted in 1787 and took effect in 1789. This distinction is important: Virginia was first to ratify the Articles, while Delaware was first to ratify the Constitution.