Which document outlines the basic rights of Americans?

The Bill of Rights is the correct answer because it specifically enumerates and guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms for individuals in the United States. Ratified in 1791, the Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the Constitution, detailing essential liberties, such as freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, and the right to a fair trial, among others.

While the Constitution establishes the framework of the government and lays out its functions, it is the Bill of Rights that explicitly safeguards individual liberties and rights from government infringement. The Articles of Confederation, on the other hand, were primarily concerned with the structure of government rather than individual rights, and the Federalist Papers provided arguments in favor of adopting the new Constitution, but they do not outline specific rights. Thus, the Bill of Rights is the primary source for basic rights outlined for Americans.