At the same time that the Declaration of Independence was being drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the Continental Congress began the development of a new government for the thirteen confederated colonies. The previous July, Benjamin Franklin had submitted a plan for such a new government, however it had been turned down. John Dickinson, chosen to draft a document outlining the new government, however, relied heavily on Franklin's sketch for a permanent union of the thirteen colonies. As the Revolutionary War raged, the Continental Congress debated and revised Dickinson's document. When completed, Congress asked the States to approve of the Articles by March 10, 1778 -- they were not fully approved until March 1, 1781 with Maryland's assent.
Almost 6 years later, faults in the Articles would lead to Congress calling for a convention to amend the Articles, which resulted, instead, with an entirely new constitution.