Final answer:
The main weakness of the Articles of Confederation was the federal government's inability to collect taxes, causing significant underfunding and difficulties in addressing national issues. This weakness was a primary motivator in the adoption of the Constitution, which empowered the federal government to levy taxes directly.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Articles of Confederation, which served as the first constitution of the United States following the Revolutionary War, were characterized by several weaknesses. One principal weakness, answering the student's question, was c. the federal government had no power to collect taxes. This lack of authority meant the national government had to depend on state governments to provide funds. However, these state governments were often negligent in their duty to provide the required funds, resulting in significant underfunding of the national government.
The inability to levy taxes directly posed many problems for the federal government. For instance, it couldn't pay off debts from the Revolutionary War, had trouble conducting foreign affairs effectively, and was unable to protect American shipping from attacks. Ultimately, the federal government's inability to collect taxes was a key factor in the replacement of the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution in 1789, as the new constitution granted the federal government the authority to impose direct taxes.
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