Final answer:
The first constitution adopted in America after the Revolution was the Articles of Confederation. It was replaced by the Constitution in 1787 due to the insufficient powers granted to the central government under the Articles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first constitution adopted in America following the Revolution was the Articles of Confederation. Drafted between 1776-1777 and ratified by the thirteen colonies in 1781, it represented the first attempt at unified governance across the newly independent states. However, it was soon deemed insufficient as it lacked necessary power for the central, federal government. It did not allow the federal government to impose taxes or control foreign policy. This led to the development of the Constitution in 1787, which replaced the Articles of Confederation and granted more power to the central government.
The Articles of Confederation established a confederacy, where individual member states agreed to unite under a central government for some purposes, such as defense, while retaining autonomy in other areas. This initial constitution reflected a fear of oppressive national government and came into being after detailed discussions and debates amongst revolutionary leaders.
However, the confederacy created under the Articles of Confederation was not a federal union, thus, revealing its inherent limitations. The issues fraught with this document set the stage for the drafting of the more comprehensive, effective, and authoritative U.S. Constitution.
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