Final answer:
The American government under the Articles of Confederation primarily differed from British colonial rule in its system of power and tax imposition. Americans followed a decentralized system, with states holding most of the authority, unlike the British rule which was more centralized. On taxation, only states were allowed to impose taxes under the Articles, whereas under the British rule it was imposed as per the government's discretion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The American system of government under the Articles of Confederation and the British colonial rule differed in its representation and source of authority. Firstly, under British colonial rule, the King, House of Lords, and the House of Commons held power with each entity providing a balance against the others. They followed an unwritten constitution but the Americans felt that some of their liberties were being deprived, resulting in constant conflicts.
On the other hand, the American government under the Articles of Confederation had a decentralized system of power, where each state held a significant amount of sovereignty and the national government held very limited power. The main feature of this system was the principle of confederation which allowed independent, self-governing states to come together and form a union for certain purposes, like defense, but largely remained autonomous.
Secondly, with respect to tax imposition, unlike the British system which imposed taxation as it deemed fit, the Articles allowed only state governments to levy taxes. The national government couldn't impose taxes, which often led to financial crisis at the national level.
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