The Articles of Confederation were weak because they created a national government with very limited power, leaving most authority to the individual states. Key weaknesses included the inability of Congress to levy taxes, the absence of an executive branch to enforce laws, no national court system, and lack of power to regulate interstate commerce or raise a national army. These limitations made it difficult for the government to raise funds, enforce laws, settle disputes between states, manage foreign affairs, or respond to internal rebellions like Shays’ Rebellion. Additionally, amending the Articles required unanimous consent from all states, making reforms nearly impossible. This weak structure ultimately made the government ineffective at governing the new nation and led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution to create a stronger federal government.
