What were the main weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

• A. A strong central government with unlimited powers.
• B. There was no representation.
• C. A monarchy was established.
• D. A weak central government with no power to tax, no power to regulate commerce, and no separate executive or national judiciary.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that the Articles of Confederation left the national government too weak to do its job. It could not tax, so it had no reliable way to raise money to pay debts or run national needs. It could not regulate commerce between states or with other countries, leading to conflicting laws and economic chaos as states each pursued their own interests. There was no separate executive to enforce laws and no national judiciary to settle disputes or interpret national laws. Because of these gaps, the central government couldn’t effectively lead or coordinate the country, which is why many people called for a new framework, ultimately leading to the Constitution. The other options don’t fit because they describe situations that weren’t true: there wasn’t a monarchy or unlimited central power, and representation existed—the issue was the lack of real authority at the national level.