Which document superseded the Articles of Confederation as the United States’ governing framework?

The United States Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation as the country’s governing framework.

The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777 and took effect after the final state ratification in 1781. They created a loose union in which the national Congress had limited powers and no separate executive branch or national judiciary.

The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in 1787 to revise the Articles but produced a replacement system. The Constitution created three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—and gave the federal government stronger powers over taxation, commerce, and national defense.

The Constitution became effective on March 4, 1789, after ratification by the required number of states. The Bill of Rights was added later, in 1791, so it did not replace the Articles and was not the original governing framework. The Declaration of Independence announced separation from Britain but did not establish a national government.