Which document serves as the supreme law of the land in the U.S.?

The Constitution serves as the supreme law of the land in the United States. This is established by the Supremacy Clause found in Article VI, which states that the Constitution, along with federal laws and treaties made under its authority, takes precedence over any conflicting state laws. The Constitution not only outlines the structure of the U.S. government but also delineates the powers granted to each branch, the rights of the citizens, and the processes by which laws are enacted.

The Bill of Rights is an essential part of the Constitution, consisting of the first ten amendments that guarantee specific rights and freedoms to individuals, but it does not stand alone as the highest legal authority. The Declaration of Independence, while a significant historical document that articulated the colonies' reasons for breaking away from British rule, does not function as law in the current legal system. The Federalist Papers were a series of essays written to promote the ratification of the Constitution and provide insight into the intentions of the framers, but they do not have legal authority like the Constitution itself does. Thus, the Constitution is the foundational legal document that governs all other laws and is paramount in the American legal framework.