For America's 250th anniversary, which document replaced the Articles of Confederation in 1789?

The United States Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation as the nation’s governing framework in 1789, a foundational transition highlighted by America’s 250th anniversary.

The Articles had created a loose union in which the national government lacked several powers, including broad authority to tax and regulate interstate commerce. Financial problems, trade disputes, and unrest such as Shays’ Rebellion encouraged many leaders to seek a stronger federal structure.

Delegates met at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and drafted the Constitution. It created separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches, defined federal powers, and established a system of checks and balances. The new government began operating in 1789 after the required state ratifications.

The Constitution is often confused with the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments, ratified in 1791. It supplemented the Constitution rather than replacing it.