Questions about the history of the agreement among the 13 original states of the United States of America which predated the Constitution. It was approved by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and sent to the states for ratification. The Articles of Confederation came into force on March 1, 1781, after being ratified by all 13 states. It was replaced March 4, 1789 after the states ratified the Constitution.