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The Articles of Confederation did not provide for a national judiciary. Why is this considered to be a weakness?

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Final answer:

The lack of a national judiciary under the Articles of Confederation resulted in inconsistent interpretation and enforcement of laws and difficulties in resolving disputes between states.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Articles of Confederation did not provide for a national judiciary, which is considered a weakness because it resulted in a lack of unified interpretation and enforcement of laws. Instead, the enforcement of laws passed by the Confederation Congress was left up to the state courts, which may or may not enforce them consistently. This inconsistency in the enforcement of laws created confusion and hindered the functioning of a unified national government.



Additionally, without a national judiciary, there was no system in place to resolve disputes between states. This meant that each state would decide on the interpretation and enforcement of laws based on their own interests, leading to biased decisions that may favor the state on its 'home turf.' This lack of a central authority to settle disputes between states created tensions and hindered the development of a strong and cohesive national government.



To address these weaknesses, the Constitution established a national judiciary, with the creation of the Supreme Court and the power given to Congress to create lower federal courts. This allowed for a more consistent interpretation and enforcement of laws, as well as a fair resolution of disputes between states.

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