Final answer:
Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was limited in its ability to levy taxes, regulate trade, enforce laws, and lacked an executive or judicial branch, resulting in a weak federal government that struggled to manage the Revolutionary War and domestic issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
While waging the American Revolution and running the government before 1787, Congress was limited by the Articles of Confederation in several ways. The Articles created a loose 'league of friendship' among the states, providing for a unicameral Congress where each state had one vote, with no national executive or judiciary. This weak federal structure led to limited powers such as the inability to levy taxes, regulate trade, or enforce laws, impeding the government's ability to finance the war effectively, forge a unified economic policy, or enforce diplomatic treaties.
The Continental Congress, as the governing body of the American states, grappled with maintaining the colonial army and crafting diplomatic policies without a strong central authority. It took four years after the drafting in 1777 for the Articles of Confederation to be ratified, reflecting the challenge of uniting thirteen sovereign states with diverse interests, especially regarding land claims and representation.