Why did the Continental Congress have a difficult time funding the Continental Army?
A.
The central government established under the Articles of Confederation had no power to collect taxes.*******
B.
The Continental Army had no built up reserve of weapons and therefore was extremely expensive to create.
C.
Trade with Britain was suspended as a result of the Declaration of Independence, and the American economy suffered from a depression.
D.
Many of America's wealthiest landowners were not in favor of the Revolutionary War and refused to contribute funding.
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Yes, A.
A. The central government established under the Articles of Confederation had no power to collect taxes.
A. The central government established under the Articles of Confederation had no power to collect taxes.
The correct answer is A. The central government established under the Articles of Confederation had no power to collect taxes.
To understand why the Continental Congress had a difficult time funding the Continental Army, we need to know about the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States, established in 1781. Under this document, the central government had limited powers, and one of those limitations was the lack of authority to collect taxes.
Without the power to collect taxes, the Continental Congress faced significant challenges in funding the Continental Army and other essential government functions. The war effort required funds to pay for soldiers' salaries, weapons, supplies, and other necessities. However, without a reliable source of revenue, the Congress struggled to finance the military adequately. The lack of funds often resulted in soldiers going without pay or supplies, which had a negative impact on morale and effectiveness.
To overcome this funding issue, the Congress had to rely on voluntary contributions from the states. However, this method proved to be insufficient, as the states were also dealing with their financial difficulties and were reluctant to provide significant financial support.
The inability to raise enough funds to support the military was a significant challenge for the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War and highlighted the limitations of the Articles of Confederation. Ultimately, it led to calls for a stronger central government, which led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787.