What was the first constitution in the United States?

The first constitution in the United States was the Articles of Confederation. Ratified in 1781, the Articles established a framework for the national government following the American Revolution. It created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central authority, which was a response to the previous experiences under British rule. The Articles allowed states to retain most of their independence, making it challenging for the national government to effectively manage issues such as taxation and foreign policy.

In contrast, the Constitution, which was drafted later in 1787 and ratified in 1788, replaced the Articles of Confederation and established a stronger federal government with defined powers and responsibilities. The Bill of Rights, added in 1791, consists of the first ten amendments to the Constitution and outlines individual rights and liberties but does not serve as a governing document on its own. The Federalist Papers are a series of essays promoting the ratification of the Constitution, but they are not a governing document either. Therefore, among the choices presented, the Articles of Confederation is correctly identified as the first constitution in the United States.