Which document served as the first governing document of the United States?

The Articles of Confederation served as the first governing document of the United States. Adopted in 1781, this document established a framework for a national government and outlined the powers and responsibilities of the states and the federal government. The Articles were created during a time when the nation was transitioning from British rule to independence and sought to provide a system of governance that was a response to the experiences under British authority.

While the Constitution, which was created later in 1787, replaced the Articles and is often viewed as the foundational document for U.S. law and governance, the Articles were pivotal as they were the initial attempt to unify the thirteen states under a common government. The Bill of Rights, which consists of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, protects individual liberties but does not serve as a governing document in itself. The Magna Carta, while historically significant in establishing the principle of limited government and the rule of law, is not a U.S. document and predates the founding of the United States by several centuries.