Which founding document, signed in 1787, established the framework of the United States federal government?

The Constitution of the United States, signed in 1787, established the framework of the United States federal government.

Delegates met in Philadelphia during the Constitutional Convention, originally intending to revise the Articles of Confederation. Instead, they drafted an entirely new governing document. The convention approved and signed it on September 17, 1787.

The Constitution created a federal system with legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It also divided authority between the national government and the states. Article VII required ratification by nine states for the new system to take effect.

The Constitution is often confused with the Declaration of Independence, which announced separation from Great Britain in 1776, and the Articles of Confederation, which governed the United States before the Constitution. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791.