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After they had won independence from Great Britain，Americans faced the problem of governing themselves and holding together the union formed during the Revolutionary War.Shortly before declaring independence in 1776，the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft a written constitution for the new nation.The finished product was the Articles of Confederation.Adopted by Congress in Nov.1777，this first written constitution was sent to the 13states for their approval.It was approved by all the states in 1781when Maryland，the last state，signed the Articles.

A confederation is a government in which the constituent governments，called states in the US，create a central government by constitutional compact but do not give it power to regulate the conduct of individuals.The central government makes regulations for the constituent government，but it exists and operates only at their direction.The Articles of Confederation established more of a fragile league of friendship than a national government.Under the Articles，the national government，actually the Congress，could conduct war and foreign affairs，make commercial treaties，and negotiate with the Indians.It could borrow and coin money and issue bills of credit.But such a government consisted of only a legislature；it

had no separate executive and judicial divisions.According to the Articles，the individual states could continue to deal directly with foreign governments and engage in war with Congress’s consent.And even without it，they could borrow，maintain mints，and issue bills of credit.The states also had sole right to legislate in matters concerning debts，contracts and family affairs.Most important of all，they alone could tax their citizens.And if the Articles need changes or amendments，it is hard to do，since amendments required the consent of every state.In brief，the Articles formed a very loose union of states within the framework of a central government.Such weak government couldn’t serve the American capitalists and landlords well.Especially the Shays’Rebellion¹ in Massachusetts in 1787made the capitalists know a strong and powerful national government was needed very much.