Question

A major problem with the Articles of Confederation was that the document:

a. Did not allow states to collect taxes
b. Gave Congress power to raise only indirect taxes
c. Gave only the President the power to raise taxes
d. Did not give Congress the power to tax

Answer 1

The major problem with the Articles of Confederation was that the national government did not have the power to tax, making it financially weak and dependent on states for revenue. Option d.

Step-by-step explanation:

One of the major issues with the Articles of Confederation was that the national government lacked the power to impose taxes. The Articles permitted only the state governments to levy taxes, which undermined the financial stability of the national government, as it could not collect funds directly and had to rely on the states.

This lack of national taxing power meant that the government was often unable to fund its debts, conduct foreign affairs effectively, or maintain adequate defense capabilities, such as raising an army or protecting commerce from piracy.

In light of these issues, the correct answer to the student’s question is d. Did not give Congress the power to tax.