Articles of Confederation

*John Dickinson drafted the first constitution for the US, and Congress modified Dickinson's plan to protect the powers of the individual states, then was adopted and submitted to states for ratification

*Articles were ratified in March 1781

*The Articles established a central government that consisted of a unicameral legislature. They gave Congress the power to wage war, make treaties, send diplomatic representatives, borrow money. They did not have power to regulate commerce or collect taxes