Final answer:
Congress lacked the money it needed to pay off the government's war debt because it could not levy taxes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Congress lacked the money it needed to pay off the government's war debt because it could not levy taxes to raise revenue. The Articles of Confederation, which served as the first constitution of the United States, did not grant Congress the power to tax. As a result, Congress struggled to raise enough money to repay the war debt.
Learn more about Congress's financial challenges in paying off war debt