Mrs. Sue I need your help. Which statement BEST describes the power of government provided by the Articles of Confederation?
A) The national government held most of the power.
B) Congress enforced its power by taxing the states.
C) The states had more power than the national government.
D) Government served to successfully unite the needs of all states.
ed your help.
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3225
To determine the answer to this question, we can start by analyzing the Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781. The Articles created a system of government in which the power was decentralized and gave more authority to the individual states rather than to the national government. It is important to note that the Articles of Confederation created a weak central government intentionally, as the American colonists had just fought a war for their independence against a strong central authority (Great Britain) and were wary of giving too much power to a central government.
Now, let's evaluate the given options:
A) The national government held most of the power: This statement is incorrect. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government was purposely limited in its power and did not have the authority to enforce laws or regulate commerce effectively.
B) Congress enforced its power by taxing the states: This statement is also incorrect. The Articles of Confederation did not grant the national government the power to impose taxes on the states. Instead, Congress relied on voluntary contributions from the states, which often proved insufficient to meet the financial needs of the government.
C) The states had more power than the national government: This statement is correct. The Articles of Confederation established a system in which the individual states retained a significant amount of power. The national government had limited authority and relied heavily on state cooperation.
D) Government served to successfully unite the needs of all states: This statement is incorrect. The Articles of Confederation struggled to effectively unify the states and meet the needs of the nation. The weaknesses of this system eventually led to its replacement by the United States Constitution in 1788.
Based on this analysis, the answer is C) The states had more power than the national government, as it accurately reflects the power dynamics established by the Articles of Confederation.