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==The Articles of Confederation==

==The Articles of Confederation==

Before and during the war, the [[Continental Congress]] met repeatedly to organize war efforts and address issues common to all the colonies.  This Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and proposed the Articles of Confederation in 1777.  The Declaration of Independence, which we honor on July 4th, first coined the name the "United States of America" as follows: the "unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America."  On November 15, 1777, this name was formally given to the new country when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation.  Its first Article states: "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America.'"  (Sometimes the term "Confederacy" is also used to describe the union under the Articles of Confederation.)

Before and during the war, the [[Continental Congress]] met repeatedly to organize war efforts and address issues common to all the colonies.  This Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and proposed the Articles of Confederation in 1777.  The Declaration of Independence, which we honor on July 4th, first coined the name the "United States of America" as follows: the "unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America."  On November 15, 1777, this name was formally given to the new country when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation.  Its first Article states: "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America.'"  (Sometimes the term "Confederation" is also used to describe the union under the Articles of Confederation.)

Thus it was the [[Articles of Confederation]], not the [[Constitution]], that first established the [[United States of America]].  The Articles of Confederation were ratified by all 13 colonies in 1781, and converted them from "colonies" into "states".  But due to flaws in the Articles of Confederation, they lasted only eight (8) years, and were replaced by the Constitution in 1789.

Thus it was the [[Articles of Confederation]], not the [[Constitution]], that first established the [[United States of America]].  The Articles of Confederation were ratified by all 13 colonies in 1781, and converted them from "colonies" into "states".  But due to flaws in the Articles of Confederation, they lasted only eight (8) years, and were replaced by the Constitution in 1789.