Which document created a framework before the Constitution?

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

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is which early document laid out a plan for governing the new nation before the current framework was put in place. The Articles of Confederation did exactly that: they created a loose, first guiding structure for a united government, with a national legislature and powers focused on defense and diplomacy while keeping most authority with the states. This was ratified in 1781 and served as the United States’ governing blueprint until its weaknesses—like no power to tax or regulate commerce—led to the drafting of a stronger framework in the Constitution.

The other options don’t fit as the pre-Constitution framework. The Declaration of Independence is a statement of principles and a break from Britain, not a governing plan. The Constitution is the later framework that replaced the Articles. The Federalist Papers are essays written to defend and explain the Constitution after its creation, not governing rules established beforehand.