Final answer:
The settlement of the northwest territory through the land ordinances, particularly the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, is considered the greatest accomplishment of the government under the Articles of Confederation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the accomplishments of the government under the Articles of Confederation, the greatest was likely the B) settlement of the northwest territory. The Confederation Congress managed to pass a series of directives known as land ordinances. These ordinances were instrumental in setting up a structured approach to westward expansion, selling lands to raise revenue, and establishing the future expansion of the United States. The most notable of these was the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which established a government for the Northwest Territory and outlined the process for admitting new states.
Despite the challenges faced by the national government, which included the inability to directly tax and thus the difficulty in paying off war debts, and the weak protection of trade that left American shipping vulnerable, the successful organization of the Northwest Territory stands as a towering achievement of that era.