Question

Read this passage from the Articles of Confederation.

All charges of war, and all other expenses that shall be incurred for the common defense or general welfare . . . shall be defrayed out of a common treasury . . . .

The taxes for paying that proportion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the several States within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress assembled.

–The Articles of Confederation, 1777

This passage from the Articles of Confederation primarily relates to the authority of

state governments to tax citizens.
state governments to form armies.
the federal government to sign treaties.
the federal government to produce currency.

Answer 1

The passage from the Articles of Confederation emphasizes the role of state governments in levying taxes to fund the common treasury, highlighting the power of states rather than the federal government to tax citizens.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passage from the Articles of Confederation specifically details how expenses for the common defense and general welfare would be paid. The costs were to be defrayed from a common treasury, which was funded by the states based on taxes laid and levied by the state governments. This clause underscores the limited capacity of the federal government to directly impose taxes, leaving the responsibility with the states. The federal government, under the Articles, lacked the independent power to tax and had to rely on funds provided by the states, often leading to issues with funding and national security.