Final answer:
The government hoped to avoid a strong central authority by creating the Articles of Confederation, leading to a weak federal structure that struggled with raising an army, taxing, and paying debts, which events like Shays' Rebellion emphasized as inadequate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The government hoped to avoid the establishment of a strong central authority when creating the Articles of Confederation. The Founding Fathers had experienced tyranny under the British monarchy and did not want to replicate such a system. Thus, they formed a weak alliance of sovereign states with a central government possessing minimal powers. This led to various complications, including an inability to raise an army, levy taxes, or pay national debts effectively. Events like Shays' Rebellion highlighted the central government's weaknesses, ultimately catalyzing calls for a constitutional revision that would strengthen the federal government, resulting in the creation of the United States Constitution.