AmG - Topic 2, Lesson 3 - The Articles of Confederation

The primary purpose of the Articles of Confederation was to

• provide tax revenues for the national government

• establish the basic framework of the national government

• give the national government the power to regulate interstate commerce

• establish the supremacy of the national government over the states

One weakness of the Articles of Confederation was the inability of the central government to

• establish a postal system

• collect adequate taxes from the states

• control western lands

• admit new states to the Union

Under the Articles of Confederation, the years between 1781 and 1787 are often referred to as the “critical period” because the

• colonies were forced to pay high reparations to England

• states were fighting the French and Indian War

• southern states threatened to secede from the Union over the issue of slavery

• central government lacked the power to deal with major problems

Critics of the Articles of Confederation argued that it

• imposed unfair taxes on the states

• used a draft to raise a national army

• provided a strong system of federal courts

• placed too much power in the hands of the states

Shays’ Rebellion (1786) became a concern for many national leaders because it:

• indicated there would be future conflicts over the spread of slavery

• exposed fundamental weaknesses in government under the Articles of Confederation

• pointed to the need for federal government regulation of interstate commerce

• showed that frontier settlements were vulnerable to raids by Native American Indians

Which idea guided the development of the Articles of Confederation?

• A strong central government would threaten the rights of the people.

• All the people should be granted the right to vote.

• Most power should rest with the judicial branch.

• Only the central government would have the power to levy taxes.

Why did the authors of the Articles of Confederation create a weak central government?

• They lacked an understanding of state problems.

• They anticipated the threat of foreign invasion.

• They relied on advice from royal governors.

• They feared the kind of rule experienced under the British monarchy.

The main reason the Articles of Confederation were replaced as the basis of the United States government was that they:

• lacked provision for a national congress

• declared that political protests were unconstitutional

• placed too many restrictions on the activities of state governments

• failed to give the central government enough power to govern effectively

The Articles of Confederation only consisted of a

• an executive branch

• a national legislature

• a political party system

• a presidential cabinet

The government created by the Articles of Confederation was unsuccessful at solving many major problems because:

• unlimited power was given to the Supreme Court

• most power remained with the state governments

• members of Congress were elected according to each state’s population

• political parties prevented the passage of legislation