Question

Which of the following BEST describes an important strength of the Articles of Confederation?

A
It provided for strong state governments.

B
It limited each state's power in Congress.

C
It provided for a strong central government.

D
It provided for a system of checks and balances.

Answer 1

The Articles of Confederation provided for strong state governments, as they favored state sovereignty and limited the powers of the central government, which is answer A). This structure reflected a response to fears of central tyranny but was later changed due to its impracticality.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks about the strengths of the Articles of Confederation, the United States' first constitution before the current Constitution was ratified. An important strength of the Articles of Confederation is that they provided for strong state governments. This is because the Articles favored state sovereignty and limited the powers of the central government. Hence, the correct answer is A) It provided for strong state governments.

Under the Articles, each state kept its independence and authority by having its own Congressional representatives, controlling its revenue through taxes, and having equal power in Congress, regardless of size. States were essentially self-governing entities that cooperated with each other. This decentralized form of government was a response to fears of tyranny and oppression, which could arise from a too powerful central government.

However, it became apparent that the central government was too weak to effectively address issues such as interstate disputes, international trade, and insurrections, leading to calls for a revision of the Articles. This revision eventuated in the drafting and ratification of the current U.S. Constitution, which established a stronger federal government while still maintaining states' rights.

Answer 2

D. It provided for a system of checks and balances.

Explanation:

After the signing of the Articles of Confederation, thirteen colonies, which became now states, adopted their own constitutions. Their main goal was to ensure those “inalienable rights,” the violation of which prompted the colonies to sever relations with Great Britain. Each constitution proclaimed certain general principles that the state government was going to follow. The constitutions of all states provided for the separation of powers into the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, the introduction of a system of checks and balances, in which each branch of government was limited and balanced by the others.