Final answer:
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution contain important principles and values that continue to shape the United States today.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two founding documents of the United States as a legal entity, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, contain important principles and values that continue to shape the country today. The Declaration of Independence, ratified in 1776, outlines key ideals such as the belief in equality and unalienable rights. The Constitution, with its system of checks and balances and three branches of government, establishes the framework for the US government.