No, the that's just what your high school textbook says.

The 'first' Articles of Confederation was for the Continental Association in 1774, with the intention of boycotting British goods--the reason we now call the 'Articles of Confederation' the Articles of Confederation is because it was a good name and the Continental Association saw it as a natural progression. Another series of articles, another confederation--this type tighter.

So when they all get together in 1776, what they're really doing is trying to limit excess, of different sorts, and to help the coming/continuing effort against Great Britain. They compose these second set of articles, which your high school textbook probably called the (only) Articles of Confederation and then proceeded on their way.

In any event, I don't really see your point. In your scenario, 1776, and the only articles, which isn't historically accurate but likely well regurgitated from whatever textbook you were awake for, are still an exercise in limitation on colonial self-rule.