Which of the following statements would describe one strength of the Articles of Confederation?
Responses
The Confederation Congress could pass taxes.
The federal court system handled all judicial matters.
Any law passed by the Confederation Congress would override state laws.
The lack of an executive branch minimized the abuse of power.
The lack of an executive branch minimized the abuse of power.
The strength of the Articles of Confederation would be that the lack of an executive branch minimized the abuse of power.
The statement that describes one strength of the Articles of Confederation is: "The lack of an executive branch minimized the abuse of power."
To determine the correct answer, we need to evaluate the options and understand what the Articles of Confederation were. The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States, in effect from 1781 to 1789. It established a weak central government with most power held by the individual states.
Let's analyze each option:
1. The Confederation Congress could pass taxes: This statement is not a strength of the Articles of Confederation. Under the Articles, the Congress did not have the power to directly levy taxes. It could only request funds from the states, which often led to a lack of financial resources for the central government.
2. The federal court system handled all judicial matters: This statement is also not a strength of the Articles of Confederation. The Articles did not establish a federal court system to handle judicial matters. Instead, they relied on the individual states to administer their own justice systems, which resulted in inconsistencies and conflicts between different state courts.
3. Any law passed by the Confederation Congress would override state laws: This statement is not accurate. Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government had limited power and could not enforce its laws or override state laws effectively. This lack of authority weakened the central government and hindered its ability to address national issues.
4. The lack of an executive branch minimized the abuse of power: This statement correctly identifies one strength of the Articles of Confederation. By not having a strong executive branch, the Articles aimed to prevent the concentration of power and minimize the potential for abuse. The fear of a tyrannical central government led to a deliberately weak executive under the Articles.
Therefore, the correct answer is: "The lack of an executive branch minimized the abuse of power."