Question

type your response in the box. based on your own understanding and information in this lesson, what characteristics of the confederate states of america made it a confederal government when compared to the government of the united states?

Explanation:

The Confederate States of America (CSA) had a confederal government. In a confederal system, the member states (the Southern states in this case) hold most of the power, and the central (confederal) government has limited authority. Compared to the US federal government (where the federal government shares power with states but also has significant enumerated and implied powers), the CSA's confederal government:

1. Weak Central Authority: The Confederate government had limited power to tax, regulate commerce between states (or with foreign nations), and enforce laws uniformly. For example, it struggled to raise funds for the war effort because states were reluctant to cede tax - raising power.
2. State Sovereignty Emphasized: Each Confederate state considered itself highly sovereign. They could often ignore or resist confederal government policies. In contrast, US states are bound by federal law (supremacy clause), and the federal government can enforce its will in many areas (like civil rights, interstate commerce).
3. Unified Only by War (Initially): The CSA was formed mainly for the cause of preserving slavery and state sovereignty. The confederal government had trouble uniting the states beyond this immediate cause. The US government, on the other hand, has a broader set of national interests (like economic stability, national defense, etc.) that bind the states together, and a more established system of governance with a long - standing constitution.
4. Military and Diplomatic Limitations: The confederal government had difficulty coordinating a unified military strategy as states often prioritized their own militias. In diplomacy, it struggled to gain widespread international recognition (unlike the US, which is a well - established sovereign nation in the international community).

Answer:

The Confederate States of America's confederal government was weak in central authority (with limited power to tax, regulate commerce, or enforce laws), emphasized state sovereignty (states could resist confederal policies), was unified mainly by the cause of preserving slavery/state sovereignty (with trouble uniting states beyond that), and had military/diplomatic limitations (struggling to coordinate the military and gain international recognition), unlike the US government which has more balanced power with states, a broader national interest - based unity, and stronger central authority in areas like taxation, commerce regulation, and law enforcement.