What was the US for the first 11 years of existence?

For the first 11 years of its existence, from 1776 to 1787, the United States operated under the Articles of Confederation, which established a loose confederation of states with a weak central government. This period was marked by economic instability, difficulties in trade, and challenges in governance, as the federal government lacked the power to tax and enforce laws effectively. The weaknesses of the Articles led to growing calls for a stronger national framework, culminating in the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where the current U.S. Constitution was drafted to create a more robust federal system.