The Articles of Confederation and the Perpetual Union, known as the Articles of the Confederation, constituted the first government document of the United States of America. They were approved by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, after several months of debate. It was a non-binding guideline until its ratification four years later, on March 1, 1781. The Articles of Confederation are considered one of the four founding documents of the North American nation.
The Articles formed a weak confederation that united the Thirteen British North American Colonies, with the capacity to govern themselves almost only in times of war and emergencies. After the end of the War of Independence and the beginning of new priorities, its limitations became evident. This document was replaced by the Constitution of the United States after its ratification on June 21, 1788.
