Articles of Confederation
noun (used with a plural verb)
the first constitution of the 13 American states, adopted in 1781 and replaced in 1789 by the Constitution of the United States.
British Dictionary definitions for articles of confederation
Articles of Confederation
pl n
the agreement made by the original 13 states in 1777 establishing a confederacy to be known as the United States of America; replaced by the Constitution of 1788
Cultural definitions for articles of confederation
Articles of Confederation
An agreement among the thirteen original states, approved in 1781, that provided a loose federal government before the present Constitution went into effect in 1789. There was no chief executive or judiciary, and the legislature of the Confederation had no authority to collect taxes.