when was the articles of confederation
Comparing the Articles and the Constitution. The United States has operated under two constitutions. The first, The Articles of Confederation, was in effect from March 1, 1781, when Maryland ratified it. The second, The Constitution, replaced the Articles when it was ratified by New Hampshire on June 21, 1788. The two documents have much in common-they were established by the same people (sometimes literally the same exact people, though mostly just in terms of contemporaries).