[DiogenesLamp]

Congress began work on the Articles of Confederation on July 12, 1776 -- before the ink was dry on the Declaration and before many signers had even signed it.
Pending formal ratification in 1781, Congress worked with a "beta copy" of the Articles as its operating system.

And so you are going to argue that they were operating under the authority of a "Governing Document" that hadn't yet been ratified?

Well if that's the standard, they should have written a stronger one with more power than the previous, because after all, if a non ratified document allows them to exercise power, then why not go full hog?

No, you're leaving out that "Consent of the Governed" aspect, the principle of which was strongly articulated by the Document that CREATED the U.S. Government:

The Declaration of Independence.

[BroJoeK]

DiogenesLamp: "And so you are going to argue that they were operating under the authority of a 'Governing Document' that hadn't yet been ratified? "

The First Continental Congress began meeting in 1774, the Second Continental Congress in 1775.
They both operated without an official constitution, or "Governing Document" until the Articles of Confederation were formally ratified in 1781.
But Founders did use the Articles, as a sort of beta version, before full ratification.

And I would remind you that Great Britain to this day has no official constitution or "Governing Document" and yet has somehow managed.
Likewise with our Founders.
They all believed a Constitution was important, and should be written & ratified, yet it was not their most urgent priority.
Winning their war for independence came first.

Nothing in their Declaration of Independence served to define, limit or authorize structures for the Continental Congress, and yet somehow they managed.