The present United States Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789. The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, but ratified by all thirteen states only on March 1, 1781. The Articles created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. However, the need for a stronger federal government soon became apparent, and this led to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which resulted in the creation of the United States Constitution. The new Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation and established a stronger federal government with a separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The Constitution also gave the federal government more power over money and taxes, allowing Congress to control interstate commerce and barring states from creating their own.