Final answer:
The Articles of Confederation were weakened by their inability to levy taxes, lack of federal power to enforce laws or manage the military, absence of a strong judiciary or executive, and rigid requirements for passing legislation and amendments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Articles of Confederation established a weak federal government that faced several challenges. One of the main weaknesses was that the national government had no power to impose taxes, relying on states to provide funds, which they often did not. Without revenue, the government could not pay debts or fund an army. Second, the national government lacked authority to enforce laws, leading to incidents like Shays' Rebellion, where it could not quell the uprising due to the absence of a federal military. Additionally, there was no strong federal judiciary or executive branch to manage national affairs effectively. The requirements for passing legislation and amendments were also very stringent, needing a supermajority and unanimous consent respectively, making it difficult to adapt or change the Confederation's government effectively.