Question

answer in 1–2 complete sentences.

1. why did not being able to collect taxes make the national government weak?

sentence starter:
this made the government weak because ______.

1. how did the lack of a president affect the government’s ability to function?

sentence starter:
without a president, the government could not ______.
part 3: cause and effect
complete the chart using the reading.
weakness of the articles | effect on the country
--- | ---
could not regulate trade | ______
no national court system | ______

part 4: big idea question

1. based on the information above, why did the articles of confederation fa a strong national government?

sentence starter:

Explanation:

For question 6, the inability to collect taxes left the government without funds for core functions. For question 7, a president provides centralized executive leadership. For the cause-effect chart, the weaknesses directly create unregulated disputes and trade issues. For question 8, the Articles deliberately limited federal power to protect state autonomy.

Answer:

1. This made the government weak because it could not fund essential services like military defense, infrastructure, or public programs, nor pay off national debts.
2. Without a president, the government could not have a single, centralized authority to make quick, unified decisions or enforce national laws consistently across states.

Part 3: Cause and Effect

Weakness of the Articles	Effect on the Country
No national court system	There was no way to resolve disputes between states or enforce national laws fairly across the country, leaving conflicts unaddressed.

1. (Sentence starter completion) The Articles of Confederation failed to create a strong national government because it was intentionally designed to give nearly all governing power to individual states, leaving the national body with no way to raise funds, enforce laws, or provide unified leadership.