Final answer:
The Constitution sets up the structure of the American government, specifying the powers and limitations of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and establishes the system of checks and balances.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Constitution of the United States sets up the structure of the American government. It is the fundamental law of the nation and creates the branches of government, laying out the powers and limitations of each branch. The Constitution begins with the preamble which states the purposes of the document: "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Following the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation, which did not provide a strong central government, the Constitution was drafted to address these weaknesses and to facilitate an effective federal governance structure. The document is organized into three main parts and outlines a system of checks and balances among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, ensuring that no single branch becomes too powerful.
The Constitution does not merely create rules for trading with foreign nations (although this is one of the powers of the federal government), nor does it declare the United States free from Great Britain (this was accomplished by the Declaration of Independence), nor does it establish a confederate form of government (which was the form under the previous Articles of Confederation). Instead, it creates a strong foundation for the governance of the United States.