What is the supreme law of the land?

The CONSTITUTION is the supreme law of the United States — this is stated explicitly in Article VI, Clause 2 (the Supremacy Clause): 'This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof...shall be the supreme Law of the Land.' USCIS Civics Question 1 asks for the supreme law of the land; the answer is simply 'the Constitution.' What this means: Federal laws must comply with the Constitution; state laws must comply with the Constitution; if Congress passes a law that violates the Constitution, the Supreme Court can declare it unconstitutional; the President cannot act in ways that violate the Constitution; even popular laws can be struck down if they conflict with the Constitution. The Constitution was written in 1787 and ratified in 1788; it established the structure of the federal government; the Bill of Rights (first 10 Amendments) was added in 1791 to protect individual rights. The Declaration of Independence is important historically but is NOT a law — it declared independence but did not create government. Federal statutes (laws) rank below the Constitution.