The original U.S. Constitution contained seven articles. These articles established the structure and powers of the new federal government.
Article I created the legislative branch, Congress. Article II established the executive branch and the presidency, while Article III created the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court. Articles IV through VII addressed relations between the states, constitutional amendments, federal supremacy, and ratification.
The Constitution also included a Preamble and a closing endorsement signed by delegates. The first ten amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were added later and are not part of the original seven articles. Twenty-seven amendments have been ratified in total.
The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation when the new federal government began operating in 1789. Its basic framework remains in force, although amendments and later interpretation have changed how many provisions operate. The seven-article structure is therefore different from the Constitution's total number of amendments and from the number of sections within each article.