Question

In which order were these documents written and adopted?

Answer 1

The Declaration of Independence was written and signed by the Continental Congress first in 1776. Next came the Articles of Confederation which was ratified by the 13 colonies in 1781. The U.S. Constitution was then signed and ratified in 1787. Then the Bill of Rights or the first ten amendments to the Constitution were added and ratified in 1791. Therefore, the order is 3,4,1,2 or D.

Answer 2

Correct answer:  D. 3,4,1,2

Here is the order of those events, with dates:

• Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776
• Articles of Confederation - Ratified March 1, 1781
• United States Constitution - Ratified June 21, 1788
• Bill of Rights - Ratified December 15, 1791

The Declaration of Independence asserted the independence of the American colonies from the British.  Then the Americans needed to win the War of Independence in order to establish their own country.

The Articles of Confederation were the initial plan used for the governing of the United States.  Those articles were then replaced by the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights (Amendments #1-10 to the Constitution) were added shortly after the Constitution itself was ratified.