Congress could not regulate trade or collect taxes, so it had to _____.
In order to understand what Congress had to do when it couldn't regulate trade or collect taxes, we need to look at the historical context. This situation is referring to the period of the United States under the Articles of Confederation, which was the first governing document of the country before the Constitution.
Under the Articles of Confederation, the government was quite weak and lacked the authority to regulate trade or impose taxes effectively. This created significant challenges for Congress in terms of generating revenue and controlling interstate trade.
To compensate for this limitation, Congress had to rely heavily on the states to provide funding and exert control over trade. They relied on voluntary contributions from the states to finance their operations and manage the affairs of the nation.
Additionally, Congress resorted to borrowing money from foreign governments, such as France, to fulfill its financial needs.
Ultimately, the inability of Congress to regulate trade or collect taxes effectively under the Articles of Confederation was one of the key reasons for its weaknesses. This eventually led to the drafting and adoption of the United States Constitution, which strengthened the federal government's authority to regulate trade and collect taxes.