March 1, 1781 First United States Constitution 📜

The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777.

When Maryland ratified it on March 1, 1781, the Congress of the Confederation came into being.

This document served as the United States' first constitution. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect.

In May of 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. They shuttered the windows of the State House (Independence Hall) and swore secrecy so they could speak freely. By mid-June the delegates had decided to completely redesign the government. After three hot, summer months of highly charged debate, the new Constitution was signed, which remains in effect today.

Articles of Confederation
https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/articles-of-confederation