Final answer:
The Articles of Confederation featured limited central power to avoid the oppression felt under British rule, which caused practical issues in governance that led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the historical context of America's relationship with England prior to the American Revolution, features such as no chief executive, Congress's lack of power to tax citizens, and inability to draft an army were included in the Articles of Confederation to prevent the type of centralized power that the colonies had experienced as oppressive under British rule. The founders were influenced by Enlightenment ideas and the experience of perceived abuses by the English crown, including 'taxation without representation'. Thus, the Articles were crafted to preserve state sovereignty and limit the powers of the national government, resulting in difficulties like funding the government and maintaining a standing army, ultimately leading to the realization that a stronger federal government was necessary, culminating in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.