Question

name: date: period: resources needed - civics gateway textbook 77 - 80
weaknesses of the articles of confederation
ss.7.cg.1.7: explain how the weaknesses of the articles of confederation led to the writing of the u.s. constitution.
students will identify the weaknesses of the government under the articles of confederation (i.e., congress had no power to tax, to regulate trade or to enforce its laws; the national government lacked a national court system judicial branch and central leadership executive branch, no national armed forces; and changes to the articles required unanimous consent of the 13 states)
directions: follow your teachers directions to complete the following tasks and assessments successfully
task #1 directions: you will read the section titled the articles of confederation with your group/partner. you will follow your teachers directions as you complete this task.

1. after the 13 colonies achieved independence by winning the revolutionary war, the country became known as the united states of america. explain why our new countrys name could be considered misleading.
2. prediction - individual: according to this section of the textbook, it states, there was no national executive or national court system. without an executive branch or president, and no national court system what issues possibly became very apparent? (we will revisit our predictions)

Explanation:

1. Under the Articles of Confederation, the states were more like independent entities. The term "United" in "United States of America" was misleading as the central government had very limited power, and the states had significant autonomy in areas like trade, taxation, and law - enforcement. There was no strong central authority to truly unite the states in a cohesive way.
2. Without an executive branch, there was no one to enforce laws and make quick - decision in times of crisis. There was no single leader to represent the nation in foreign affairs or to manage domestic issues efficiently. Without a national court system, there was no way to resolve disputes between states in a unified manner. This could lead to inconsistent interpretations of laws and potential conflicts between states.

Answer:

1. The name was misleading because the states were highly autonomous and the central government was weak, not truly uniting the states as the name might imply.
2. Issues such as inconsistent law - enforcement, inability to resolve inter - state disputes, and lack of a unified representative in foreign and domestic affairs became apparent.