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Trying Self Government - The Articles of Confederation - Printable Social studies Worksheets year 6 - Wayground

Trying Self Government - The Articles of Confederation

Ross Bowdridge

Created by Ross Bowdridge

11 questions

6th - 8th Grade

Social studies

Updated Mar 2026

Trying Self Government - The Articles of Confederation is a free printable Social Studies worksheet with a complete answer key for students in Grades 6–8. Its 11 items use fill-in-the-blank, multiple-choice, multiple-select, ordering, drag-and-drop, dropdown, and classification formats to examine why the colonies created a government after declaring independence and how the Articles of Confederation organized power. Students identify tyranny under King George, sequence the need for wartime government and taxation, and place key Articles dates in order. The worksheet also asks students to interpret the Articles’ loose union, unicameral legislature, equal state representation, limited national authority, and division of powers between national and state governments. By sorting governmental responsibilities and explaining why the national government could not effectively collect taxes, students connect the Articles’ structure to its practical weaknesses. The varied question types provide practice with chronology, cause and effect, vocabulary, document-based civics concepts, and accurate classification of government powers.

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Trying Self Government - The Articles of Confederation

Total questions: 11

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is your name?

(a)  

2.

Yesterday's reading said that the colonies fought for independence because King George had acted like a tyrant. What is a tyrant?

a)

a cruel and unfair ruler with complete power over a country

b)

a ruler who exercises absolute power in a fair and just way.

c)

a ruler who exercises limited power in a cruel and oppressive way.

3.

Which of the answers below are examples of how King George acted as a tyrant?

Select all that apply.

a)

took away colonial legislatures

b)

gave himself the authority to make colonial laws

c)

 taxed the colonists’ goods without their permission

d)

gave the colonies representatives in the British government

4.

Reorder the answers below to explain why the colonies need to quickly create a government after declaring independence.

a)

Declaring independence from England meant that

b)

the colonies were starting a war with England.

c)

In order to fight a war with England, the colonies needed

d)

to be able to build an army and pay soldiers. They also needed

e)

to be able to buy military supplies and try to negotiate with other countries for assistance.

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
5.

The Articles of Confederation were first adopted by the Continental Congress in November of ​ (a)   , but the document was not approved, or ​ (b)   , until March of ​ (c)   . The articles remained the official governing document of the United States until it was ​ (d)   by the U.S. Constitution in ​ (e)   .

Choose from the below words
1777
ratified
1781
1789
replaced
6.

  1. The articles of confederation united the 13 colonies together, but only did so 

​ (a)   . Under the articles of Confederation, the colonies were 

aligned together in a “ ​ (b)   of ​ friendship” 

designed to protect the 13 states against other ​ (c)   and their 

​ (d)   .  The main problem with this new government was that there 

was ​ (e)   that the national government could force the states to do.

Choose from the below words
loosely
League
countries
militaries
nothing
7.

True or False: The national government under the Articles of Confederation had a single branch (or group) that made laws.

a)

True

b)

False

8.

Organize the powers given to the national government and state governments under the Articles of Confederation.

Categorize the following

Create laws if 9 of the 13 states agree

Power to negotiate with other countries

Power to declare war

had the power to create laws

Create laws for their individual states

Create their own money

Had their own militias (militaries)

Enforce laws

Had any power not given to the national government in the Articles of Confederation

Power to create treaties with other countries

Appoint foreign ambassadors

Manage relationships with Native American Tribes

National Government
Both
State Governments
9.

Why did the founders choose to limit the powers of the national government?

a)

To prevent the government from becoming too powerful and to protect individual liberties.

b)
To ensure equal representation for all states
c)
To promote economic growth
d)

To establish a strong and powerful national government

10.

Reorder the following to explain why it was a problem that the articles of Confederation only allowed the states to collect taxes.

a)

The government needs to collect taxes in order to

b)

have the money to build roads and bridges, pay soldiers, build ships and do many other things.

c)

Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government could ask the states

d)

for money, but they could not force the states to give them money. Without the

e)

ability to collect taxes, there was not a lot that the national government could do.

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
11.

Under the Articles of Confederation, the states were all represented ​equally in the national government's unicameral legislature.

a)

True

b)

False

WaygroundAnswer Key

Trying Self Government - The Articles of Confederation

Total questions: 11

1.
No Correct Answer
2.
a)

a cruel and unfair ruler with complete power over a country

3.
a)

took away colonial legislatures

, b)

gave himself the authority to make colonial laws

, c)

 taxed the colonists’ goods without their permission

4.
a, b, c, d, e
5.
1777, ratified, 1781, replaced, 1789
6.
loosely, League, countries, militaries, nothing
7.
a)

True

8.
National Government

Create laws if 9 of the 13 states agree

Power to negotiate with other countries

Power to declare war

Power to create treaties with other countries

Appoint foreign ambassadors

Manage relationships with Native American Tribes

Both

had the power to create laws

Create their own money

State Governments

Create laws for their individual states

Had their own militias (militaries)

Enforce laws

Had any power not given to the national government in the Articles of Confederation

9.
a)

To prevent the government from becoming too powerful and to protect individual liberties.

10.
a, b, c, d, e
11.
a)

True

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FAQs

What does this Articles of Confederation worksheet cover?

This Grades 6–8 worksheet uses 11 varied-format items to help students analyze why the colonies formed a government and how the Articles of Confederation limited national power. Students identify examples of tyranny, sequence the need for wartime government and taxation, arrange key dates, classify national and state powers, and explain problems caused by weak taxing authority.

How can I use this worksheet to teach the Articles of Confederation?

Use the worksheet after students learn why the colonies declared independence, beginning with the tyranny vocabulary and multiple-select items about King George’s actions. Then have students explain the ordering items aloud before completing the dates, government-structure, and powers activities. Conclude by discussing how limited national authority, state-controlled taxation, and equal representation shaped the Articles’ weaknesses.

What mistakes should I watch for when students complete this worksheet?

Watch for students selecting that King George gave the colonies representation, reversing the 1777 adoption and 1781 ratification dates, or confusing the Articles’ 1789 replacement with its earlier approval. In the ordering and dropdown items, students may miss the cause-and-effect link between the national government’s inability to collect taxes and its limited ability to act. In the classification activity, check that they distinguish national powers such as declaring war and negotiating treaties from state powers such as creating state laws and maintaining militias.

How do I assign and grade this Articles of Confederation worksheet?

Wayground provides this 11-question worksheet as a printable PDF and as a digital quiz, and it includes a complete answer key for checking the vocabulary, sequencing, dates, and government-power items. Printable submissions can be graded by scanning student work with the Wayground for Teachers app. The printable format also gives schools an option for reducing screen time.

How can I differentiate this worksheet for my students?

In the worksheet’s Advanced Settings, adjust font spacing or choose a larger font size to make the tyranny definitions, date-completion text, and government-power classification items easier to read. You can also select a dyslexia-friendly font or translate the worksheet into another language while preserving its multiple-choice, ordering, dropdown, and classification formats.

Where can I find more worksheets like this on Wayground?

Wayground offers a comprehensive collection of free printable worksheets and practice problems across all subjects, with downloadable PDFs and answer keys to help students master essential skills and concepts. Browse more resources at https://wayground.com/en-us/worksheets.

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