Final answer:
A constitution serves as the framework defining a national or state government's structure, as exemplified by the U.S. Constitution which balances power between state and national authorities.
Step-by-step explanation:
A framework that defines a national or state government’s structure is essentially a constitution. In the case of the United States, the need for an overarching political framework became evident during its fight for independence. While the formation of state governments was seen as essential to demonstrate the sovereignty and the consent of the governed, the reluctance to establish a strong national government was due in part to fears that it could undermine the very freedoms for which the revolution was fought.
The first attempts to organize the American states included the Second Continental Congress and the Articles of Confederation, each providing a structure for collaboration and governance among the states. However, these early systems reflected a significant preference for state power over national power. The Articles of Confederation, in particular, manifested this view by creating a weak national government without a president or federal courts. The subsequent Constitution introduced a federal framework aiming to balance the powers between decentralized (state) and centralized (national) government. This balance of power was achieved through the establishment of three branches of government (legislative, executive, and judiciary) and the principle of federalism, dividing authority between the national and subnational (state) governments.