The Articles of Confederation resulted in a weak national government primarily because they reflected the colonists' fear of centralized power after British rule. The Articles gave most power to the individual states and created a national government with very limited authority. Key reasons for the weakness include:
- Congress had no power to tax and could only request funds from states, leading to chronic revenue shortages and inability to pay debts or fund a military.
- There was no executive branch to enforce laws or collect taxes, making the government dependent on voluntary state cooperation.
- No national judiciary existed to resolve disputes between states or interpret laws.
- Congress could not regulate interstate commerce, so states taxed each other and printed their own money, causing economic confusion.
- The amendment process required unanimous approval of all 13 states, making it nearly impossible to fix problems or adapt the government.
- Congress could not raise a standing army or compel states to contribute troops, leaving the nation vulnerable to internal and external threats.
These limitations made the national government ineffective in governance, law enforcement, and financial management, which led to difficulties such as Shays' Rebellion and trade conflicts. These issues eventually prompted the movement toward drafting the U.S. Constitution to create a stronger federal government.
