what is the united states constitution

The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States, establishing the country's basic political framework and government structure. It consists of an introductory Preamble, seven Articles outlining the branches of government and their powers, relationships between states, amendment processes, and ratification procedures, along with 27 amendments. The first three Articles establish the three branches: the Legislative Branch (Congress, with the House of Representatives and the Senate), the Executive Branch (the President and Vice President), and the Judicial Branch (the federal court system). It sets a system of checks and balances to prevent any branch from becoming dominant, and explicitly guarantees fundamental rights through the Bill of Rights and other amendments.