[REVOLUTIONARY WAR]. The London Evening-Post. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. London: J. Miller, 28-30 January 1777. No. 8560. 4 pp., folio (457 x 311 mm), punch holes, few tiny stains, tax stamp. AN EARLY PRINTING OF THE FIRST CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES WITH A RARE HEADING ABOVE READING: “Postscript. London. Philadelphia: Articles of…” The Articles served as the nation’s governing document from 1781 to 1789, and was first adopted by the Continental Congress on 15 November 1777. This framework aimed to unite the thirteen American colonies during the Revolutionary War and establish a central government. However, the Articles created a weak central authority with limited powers, lacking the ability to levy taxes, regulate trade, or maintain a standing army. Each state retained significant sovereignty, leading to financial instability, interstate disputes, and an ineffective government. These deficiencies prompted the drafting of the United States Constitution in 1787, replacing the Articles of Confederation and establishing a stronger federal government to address the shortcomings of the initial attempt at governance.