Which of the following was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

• A. Amendments required unanimous consent
• B. The federal government could levy taxes
• C. The federal government could regulate commerce
• D. The federal government had a strong national executive

Answer: (C)

The central idea being tested is that the Articles of Confederation left the national government too weak to handle the country’s real needs. A key consequence was its inability to regulate trade and to raise revenue. Under the Articles, Congress lacked the power to tax, and it had no authority to regulate commerce between states or with other nations. That meant economic policies were chaotic, states imposed their own taxes and duties, and the national government couldn’t pay debts or coordinate a unified economic plan.

So, the statement that the federal government could regulate commerce describes a power the Articles did not grant; in fact, the lack of that power was a major weakness. Other options also misstate the situation: there was no power to levy taxes, there was no strong national executive, and amendments required every state’s consent, which made change extremely difficult.