What document were the American colonies under?

The American colonies were initially governed by a series of colonial charters granted by the British crown, which outlined the rights and responsibilities of the colonies. Following the Declaration of Independence in 1776, they were no longer under British rule. After the Revolutionary War, the colonies adopted the Articles of Confederation in 1781, which served as the first constitution for the newly formed United States until it was replaced by the current U.S. Constitution in 1789.