What is the supreme law of the United States?

• A. The Declaration of Independence
• B. The Constitution
• C. The Bill of Rights
• D. The Articles of Confederation

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that the Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. It provides the framework for how the government operates and sets limits on political power, so all branches of the federal government and the states must act within it. The Supremacy Clause in Article VI crystalizes this by declaring that the Constitution, and laws made under it, are the highest law in the land. If there’s a conflict between a law and the Constitution, the Constitution wins.

Why this is the best answer: the Declaration of Independence is a statement of principles rather than a legal framework. The Bill of Rights are amendments to the Constitution, so they are part of the Constitution itself rather than standalone supreme law. The Articles of Confederation were the earlier governing framework but were replaced by the current Constitution and are no longer in effect.