5 Questions
Why was the central government under the Articles of Confederation unable to levy taxes?
It lacked a judicial branch
What event demonstrated the central government's lack of resources under the Articles of Confederation to handle domestic unrest?
Shay's Rebellion
Why was amending the Articles of Confederation practically impossible?
Differing opinions among delegates
What was a major improvement of the US Constitution over the Articles of Confederation?
Stronger central government
What was a consequence of the inability to tax under the Articles of Confederation?
Lack of funds to handle domestic unrest
Study Notes
- Before the current US Constitution, there was a prototype called the Articles of Confederation, which created a nation of independent states loosely linked by a single Congress with a weak central government.
- The Articles of Confederation did not have a judicial or executive branch, leading to limited central government power and no ability to levy taxes for funding necessities like maintaining an army or paying debts from the Revolutionary War.
- Due to the inability to tax under the Articles of Confederation, the central government faced economic disaster and lacked the resources to handle domestic unrest, as seen in Shay's Rebellion in 1786 in Massachusetts.
- Amending the Articles of Confederation required unanimous consent from all thirteen states, which proved practically impossible due to differing opinions among delegates.
- The ineffectiveness of the Congress and federal government under the Articles of Confederation led to the drafting of the current US Constitution, which replaced the weak central government with a more structured system still in place today.
Learn about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, including the lack of a strong central government, limited taxing powers, and the challenges of amending the document. Explore how these shortcomings led to the drafting of the current US Constitution.
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