What was the governing document before the Constitution?

Articles of Confederation Click to see full answer. Correspondingly, what was the government like before the Constitution?Articles of Confederation, 1777–1781. The Articles of Confederation served as the written document that established the functions of the national government of the United States after it declared independence from Great Britain.Subsequently, question is, what events led up to the creation of the Constitution? Below are some of the important dates that led to the creation of the Constitution: 1775 — The Revolutionary War between the Colonies and Britain begins. 1776 —Declaration of Independence written; the 13 colonies become the 13 states, but are not yet united under one central government. One may also ask, what happened before the Constitution was written? In 1787, Congress authorized delegates to gather in Philadelphia and recommend changes to the existing charter of government for the 13 states, the Articles of Confederation, which many Americans believed had created a weak, ineffective central government.Why is the Constitution Important?The Constitution provides a system of checks and balances designed to avoid the tyranny of any one branch. Most important actions require the participation of more than once branch of government. Another important function of the Constitution is to divide power between the national government and the state governments.