Although widely regarded as a failure, the Articles of Confederation are an important part of American History. Under the Articles, the former colonies were united for the first time, into a loose confederation. The Articles established the first governing system for what would become the United States.

In the midst of the American Revolution, the Second Continental Congress met in York, Pennsylvania. It faced many issues, including drafting a governing system that would be appropriate for 13 fairly independent states in the middle of a war and also for the postwar environment. It took over a year of debate, but on November 15, 1777, the Second Continental Congress adopted the final draft. It took over four years to be adopted by all 13 colonies, but on March 1, 1781, the final state, Maryland, had its delegates sign. Because the Articles needed ratification of all the states, they went into full effect after that.

Composed of a preamble, 13 articles, a conclusion, and signatures, the Articles of Confederation are one of America's most important legal documents. Article I officially names the new country "the United States of America." Article II was meant to preserve the power and sovereignty of the individual states; the confederate system is meant to be one of mutual agreements by individual divisions of the confederation. Article III outlines the mutual agreement, explaining that the state "enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare." The fourth article is a precursor to the Constitution's "full faith and credit" clause; it guarantees that all law-abiding citizens have the same rights even when traveling between states in the nation. Article V established Congress; each state could send between two and seven delegates for representation. Like the Constitution, the Article V protects the speech of the legislators while in session. The sixth article limits the power of the states to enter into foreign treaties, wage war, or establish special inter-state agreements. Articles VI and VII establishes the protocol for declaring and organizing war for "common defense". Articles IX, X, and XII elaborate on the duties and protocols Congress must follow, and defines the purpose of the central government. Article XI, oddly, allows Canada to join the union at any time, but requires any new states to be approved by at least nine others. The thirteenth and final article establishes the "authority" of the central government, stating "shall abide by the determination of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions which by this confederation are submitted to them."

It's not widely realized that there were "Presidents" of the United States before George Washington. However, there were actually 10 who preceded him, under the Articles of Confederation. The actual office these "Presidents" held was "President of the United States in Congress Assembled", which is different from the "President of the United State" office created by the Constitution. Instead of presiding over the executive branch, the Presidents of the U.S. in Congress Assembled presided over legislative debate, like the modern Vice President or Speaker of the House. In fact, the Articles of Confederation did not have an executive branch; Congress, the only government "branch" had little power to enforce law.

The first of these Presidents of the U.S. in Congress Assembled was Samuel Huffington, who inherited the position when the office of President of the Second Continental Congress was replaced in the Articles of Confederation. He resigned in July of 1781, and was replaced by Thomas McKean, until the first election could take place. Unlike the four-year terms under the Constitution, the Articles state "no person [shall] be allowed to serve in the office of president more than one year in any term of three years", so the following Presidents served less than a year each. Also unlike the Constitution, the elections were not public elections, but held in Congress. The first to be elected was John Hanson, from Maryland. Taking office only months after the end of the American Revolution, Hanson's Congress was faced with many challenges. There were successes during his term, however; the first national bank was established, the Bank of North America, which outlasted the Articles of Confederation. Congress also laid the groundwork for a uniform money system in the United States, in response to the chaotic money situation.

Succeeding Hanson was Elias Boudinot. While he held office, England officially ended the Reolvutionary War, signing of the the Treaty of Paris. Boudinot was followe by Richard Lee, under whom Congress ratified the treaty. Next was famous Declaration of Independece signee, John Hancock, who served a short term, due to health problems. Nathaniel Gorham finished his term. The 9^th Congression President, Arthurt St. Clair, served during Shay's rebellion and the passage of the Northwest Ordinance. The Constitutional Convention took place during his term as well, with the first states ratifying what would be the end of the Articles of Confederation.

The problems the U.S. government faced under the Articles are well known. Unable to enforce any requests for fundings from the states, the central government was chronically short of money. The inflexible Articles also posed a problem; it requires the consent of a supermajority of votes for many issues as opposed to the Constitution's simple majority. The Articles did not establish free trade rules for interstate commerce, so tariff wars raged throught the states. However, the nation's founders learned from the experience, and used their knowledge to draft one of the greatest and longest surviving freedom documents in existence, the Constitution of the United States.