Final answer:
The 'Critical Period' was a challenging time in U.S. history from 1781 to 1789 due to a weak national government's struggles with foreign affairs and debt management.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term 'Critical Period' refers to the challenging era in American history from 1781 to 1789 when the Articles of Confederation were in effect. It was a time identified by John Quincy Adams as one marked by 'accumulated evils' due to various diplomatic and financial challenges and widespread internal confusion. These challenges were largely due to a weak national government that struggled to cope with foreign affairs and manage the substantial war-related debt.
Despite the flourishing trade and opening of new markets with countries like the Dutch, Swedes, Prussians, Moroccans, and Chinese, the United States had a significant need for a national bank with the ability to issue government bonds and implement taxes. The nation's inability to efficiently handle its debts at both national and state levels hampered its financial stability. Additionally, the perception of the United States as a weak entity by foreign governments contributed to its difficulties in establishing itself as a strong independent nation.
The strengths of the U.S. during the Critical Period included the resumption of trade and the establishment of diplomatic relations with various foreign nations. The weaknesses, however, were more pronounced, as the lack of a strong central government to regulate commerce, enforce laws, or provide for defense burdened the new nation, setting the stage for the eventual drafting and ratification of the U.S. Constitution to replace the Articles of Confederation.