Which U.S. founding document begins with “We the People”?

The U.S. founding document that begins with “We the People” is the United States Constitution.

The Constitution was drafted at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 and established the framework of the federal government. Its Preamble states the document’s broad purposes, including forming a more perfect Union, establishing justice, providing for the common defense, and securing liberty.

The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, which had created a weaker national government after independence. It divided federal authority among legislative, executive, and judicial branches and created a system of checks and balances. The document took effect after ratification by the required number of states in 1788.

The Bill of Rights is not a separate founding constitution; it is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791. The Declaration of Independence, adopted in 1776, announced separation from Britain rather than establishing the later federal government.