What is the primary purpose of the Constitution?

The primary purpose of the Constitution is to set up the government and define its powers. This foundational document establishes the framework for the United States government, delineating the roles, responsibilities, and limits of each branch—executive, legislative, and judicial. It outlines how power is distributed between the federal government and the states, ensuring a system of checks and balances that prevents any one branch from becoming too powerful.

While civil rights are indeed important and are addressed in amendments, the central function of the Constitution is to construct the government structure. Other options, such as declaring independence or regulating commerce, are significant historical aspects but do not capture the overarching goal of the Constitution itself. The declaration of independence pertains to the founding of the nation, and regulating commerce is one of the specific functions outlined within the Constitution, but it is not the primary purpose of the document.