Question

According to the quote below and your knowledge from your reading, which of these was a weakness in the Articles of Confederation exposed by Shay’s Rebellion?

[T]hey see the weakness of Government[,] they feel at once their own poverty compared with the opulent, and their own force, and they are determined to make use of [force]...Our government must be braced, changed, or altered to secure our lives and property.
We imagined that the mildness of our government and the virtue of the people were so [similar] that we were not as other nations requiring brutal force to support the laws—But we find that... we must have a government proper and adequate for [the people]. --Henry Knox, letter to George Washington, 1786

A) The imbalance of power between the three branches of government.
B) The dominance of an overly powerful executive branch.
C) The national government having too much power than the states.
D) The problem of states having more power than the federal government.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The weakness exposed by Shay's Rebellion, as highlighted in the quote you provided, points towards:

D) The problem of states having more power than the federal government.

Shay's Rebellion revealed the inadequacy of the central government under the Articles of Confederation to maintain law and order within the states. It showcased the challenge of the federal government lacking the power to effectively deal with domestic uprisings due to the states holding more authority and control. This event highlighted the need for a stronger central authority to maintain stability and security within the nation.

Answer 2

Shay's Rebellion exposed the weakness of states having more power than the federal government in the Articles of Confederation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Shay's Rebellion, which occurred in 1786-1787, exposed weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation, particularly the inability of the federal government to raise revenue and maintain order. The rebellion highlighted the lack of a strong central authority to address economic and social issues, and it underscored the need for a more robust federal government.

The weakness in the Articles of Confederation exposed by Shay's Rebellion was that the problem of states having more power than the federal government. The rebellion highlighted the inability of the national government to raise an army and enforce laws, leading to a call for a stronger government. The Founding Fathers recognized the need to revise the Articles of Confederation to establish a federal government that could address the country's challenges.

The quote by Henry Knox reflects the recognition that a government with more authority was necessary to maintain order and protect the rights of citizens, revealing a key weakness in the Articles of Confederation – the limited power of the central government in dealing with internal unrest and economic challenges.