Articles of the Confederation

How did Americans' experience under British rule influence the form of government they established under the Articles of Confederation?

• The new legislature had two houses, just like the British Parliament.

• The states were sovereign, just as the colonies had been under British rule.

• The new central government was not given any power to direct the military.

• The new central government was not able to tax citizens as the British government had tried to do.

According to the chart, which steps would the Confederation Congress have taken in the event of another war?

• A.

• B.

• C.

• D.

By 1786, why did many merchants want the Articles of Confederation to be replaced?

• Several states were taxing the activities of the Confederation.

• States were discouraging trade by taxing one another's goods.

• Congress was forcing the states to contribute to its general fund.

• The national government had printed so much money that it lost its value.

How did the U.S. Constitution solve a problem created by the Articles of Confederation?

• It stopped the national government from imposing taxes.

• It gave the national government the power to raise

• It required unanimous consent of the states to pass amendments.

• It prevented acts of piracy against American ships off the coast of Africa.

The illustration from a popular almanac in 1787 shows Captain Daniel Shays. Why did his rebellion send a wave of fear among wealthy merchants and landowners?

• Officers worried about losing their back pay.

• Shays planned to take money from the rich and give it to the poor.

• There was no national army to put down domestic unrest if it spread.

• Bankers and other lenders feared teh loss of loans to their national government.

Which weakness of the Articles of Confederation was addressed by the Constitution?

• the continuation of slavery

• the lack of a national court system

• the absence of a balanced budget

• the need to strengthen the power of the states

The chart shows two opposing views expressed at the Constitutional Convention. Which feature of American government today was the outcome of this disagreement at the Constitutional Convention?

• A Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to protect indivi

• Each state can decide how its own representation in Congress is determined.

• Representation in both our federal and state legislatures is now based on population.

• States have equal representation in one house of Congress and representation based on their population in the other.

The postage stamp on the left shows a committee of the Second Continental Congress drafting the Articles of Confederation. Why did this committee create a weak central government?

• to encourage more trade between states

• to preserve the powers of the individual states

• to promote national security against foreign invasion

• to permit the taxation of citizens