Answer:
The Articles of Confederation were an agreement between the 13 former British Colonies, that constitute the first constitution of the United States as a confederation of sovereign states. This document was produced by the Continental Congress in mid-1776, and the approved version was sent to the states for ratification at the end of 1777. Official ratification by 13 states was completed in early 1781.
Even when it was still not ratified, this document became a source of legitimacy of the Continental Congress in directing the American Revolutionary War, conducting diplomacy and foreign relations, and regulating territorial and internal affairs. However, the weakness of the administration created by this document caused concern among nationalists. On March 4, 1789, this document was replaced by the United States Constitution, which gave more power to the government.