Question

why did colonists feel the articles of confederation were necessary even though the declaration of independence was already written?
the declaration of independence outlined a system of government but did not specify how much power that government could have.
the declaration of independence outlined a relationship between individuals and the government but did not detail the power and control of that government.

Explanation:

The Declaration of Independence focused on declaring separation from Britain and stating principles about individual rights and the basis of government (consent of the governed), but it did not establish the structure or the specific powers of the new government. The Articles of Confederation were needed to outline how the government would operate and what powers it would have. Let's analyze the options:

• Option 1: The Declaration of Independence did not outline a system of government (it was about independence, not structuring a government), so this is incorrect.
• Option 2: The Declaration of Independence was about independence from Britain, not about interactions with other colonies, so this is incorrect.
• Option 3: The Declaration of Independence was about independence, not creating a national system of government (that was later), so this is incorrect.
• Option 4: The Declaration of Independence established the idea of the relationship between individuals (having rights) and government (deriving power from the people), but it did not detail the powers and control of the government. The Articles of Confederation were meant to do that (even though they had their flaws), so this option is correct.

Answer:

D. The Declaration of Independence outlined a relationship between individuals and the government but did not detail the power and control of that government. (Note: Assuming the last option is D; if the options were labeled differently, adjust the label but keep the text. From the given, the last option's text matches the correct reasoning.)