What does the constitution do?

The constitution serves as the foundational legal document that sets up the government, establishing the framework for its structure, powers, and responsibilities. It outlines the organization of the government into branches, defines the roles and functions of each branch, and describes the relationship between the federal government and the states.

This framework is crucial because it determines how laws are made, how leaders are elected, and how power is distributed. The constitution also includes principles such as checks and balances, ensuring that no single branch of government becomes too powerful. While the other options involve important aspects of governance, they are either specific functions or implications of the constitutional framework rather than the primary role of the constitution itself. Thus, the constitution's primary purpose is to set up the government that operates under its authority.