I fall on the side of facts. The Articles of Confederation created a "league of friendship" among the 13 sovereign states and each state retained its independence and sovereignty. It created a weak central/federal government that struggled to manage issues such as commerce and taxation. All 13 states had to ratify the Articles for them to take effect, which delayed their implementation until 1781. If each of the original 13 colonies are sovereign states and the ratification of the Articles didn't occur until 1781, how can a "nation" be created in 1776?