Final answer:
Under the Articles of Confederation, the governing of Americans was primarily in the hands of the States due to fear of oppressive central government. Hence, a confederation was created wherein states retained significant sovereignty and power while forming a union for common defense.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the Articles of Confederation, the primary role in governing Americans was played by the States (1). This was largely due to the American peoples' fear of establishing an oppressive central government akin to British rule they had just escaped from. Therefore, under this first constitution of the United States, a confederation was created, an entity in which independent, self-governing states formed a union for the purpose of acting together in areas such as defense while retaining their independent authorities and powers.
Essentially, the national government was weak, lacking authority in many areas due to the decentralized nature of a confederation. States held sovereignty, largely influencing major decisions, with each state given one vote in Congress, regardless of population. They even had the duty of defense largely to themselves as the national government lacked the power to raise an army or navy.
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