Which statement BEST describes the power of government provided by the Articles of Confederation?
Responses
A The national government held most of the power.The national government held most of the power.
B Congress enforced its power by taxing the states.Congress enforced its power by taxing the states.
C The states had more power than the national government.The states had more power than the national government.
D Government served to successfully unite the needs of all states.
C The states had more power than the national government.
C The states had more power than the national government.
To determine the answer, let's evaluate each response option:
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.
The Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States from 1781 to 1789, established a weak central government and gave most of the power to the states. The national government had limited authority and could not effectively enforce its laws or collect taxes, making option A incorrect. Option B is also incorrect as the national government did not have the power to tax the states under the Articles of Confederation.
Option C accurately describes the power distribution under the Articles of Confederation. The states had more power than the national government, with each state maintaining its sovereignty and making decisions independently. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.
Option D is not accurate because the Articles of Confederation struggled to unite the needs of all states due to the limitations of the national government and the lack of a cohesive central authority.