Which document established the structure of the U.S. government and its power limits?

Which document established the structure of the U.S. government and its power limits?

• A. The Declaration of Independence
• B. The Articles of Confederation
• C. The United States Constitution
• D. The Federalist Papers

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that a formal written framework sets up how the national government is organized and what it can or cannot do. The United States Constitution does exactly that: it creates three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—with defined powers and a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from dominating. It also establishes federalism by listing powers for the national government while leaving others to the states, and it provides a process for amending the framework and protecting individual rights (through the Bill of Rights). The Declaration of Independence is a statement of reasons for separation and principles about rights, not a governing structure. The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government and did not provide a strong framework for national power. The Federalist Papers are persuasive essays explaining and defending how the Constitution would work, not the binding framework itself.

The main idea here is that a formal written framework sets up how the national government is organized and what it can or cannot do. The United States Constitution does exactly that: it creates three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—with defined powers and a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from dominating. It also establishes federalism by listing powers for the national government while leaving others to the states, and it provides a process for amending the framework and protecting individual rights (through the Bill of Rights). The Declaration of Independence is a statement of reasons for separation and principles about rights, not a governing structure. The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government and did not provide a strong framework for national power. The Federalist Papers are persuasive essays explaining and defending how the Constitution would work, not the binding framework itself.