Video: 'What Were the Articles of Confederation? | History'

(Thursday, March 1, 1781, noon local time; during the American Revolutionary War, part of the American Revolution) — The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, an agreement among the 13 original states of the United States of America that served as its first constitution, came into force today after being ratified by all 13 states.

A guiding principle of the Articles was to preserve the independence and sovereignty of the states. The weak central government established by the Articles received only those powers which the former colonies had recognized as belonging to king and parliament.

On March 4, 1789, the government under the Articles was replaced with the federal government under the Constitution. The new Constitution would provide for a much stronger federal government by establishing a chief executive (the President), courts, and taxing powers.