Which document begins with “We the People” and established the United States federal government?

The United States Constitution begins with “We the People” and established the United States federal government. It was drafted in Philadelphia during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and signed on September 17 of that year.

The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, which had created a weaker national government after independence. The new framework divided federal authority among legislative, executive, and judicial branches and created a system of checks and balances.

The document became effective after the required states ratified it. The first Congress and president began operating under the Constitution in 1789, with George Washington serving as the first president. The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments, was ratified in 1791.

The Declaration of Independence, adopted in 1776, announced the colonies' separation from Great Britain but did not establish the later federal government. The Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times, while its original structure remains the foundation of the United States political system.