7th Grade Civics EOC Practice Test 2026 - Free Civics EOC Practice Questions and Study Guide

A treaty is a formal agreement between nations that is legally binding and used to govern their relations. Treaties are negotiated by representatives, often require ratification by each country’s governing bodies, and once in force, create legal obligations that the signatory nations must follow. They can cover a wide range of topics, such as trade rules, borders, or security arrangements, and they help ensure predictable and orderly interactions between countries.

An alliance, while it can be formal, is primarily a pact to support each other, especially in defense, and isn’t always a legally binding document in the same way as a treaty. A compact is a general term for an agreement and doesn’t always imply the formal, enforceable duties that a treaty does. A constitution outlines how a country is governed internally, not how nations interact with one another. So the term that best fits the description of a legally binding agreement between nations is the treaty.