Which statement about the Articles of Confederation is accurate?

Which statement about the Articles of Confederation is accurate?

• A. The first constitution with strong central government
• B. The first constitution with no executive, no judiciary, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade
• C. The creation of a powerful federal court system
• D. The constitution allowed the federal government to coin money and regulate interstate commerce

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the Articles of Confederation created a very weak central government. There was no executive to enforce laws, no national court to interpret them, and Congress could not tax individuals or states or regulate trade between states. Because the national government lacked these powers, it struggled to fund itself, enforce laws, or coordinate among the states, which is why this statement is accurate. The other ideas describe a stronger central government or powers the Articles did not grant. For example, a strong central constitution or a powerful federal court system didn’t exist under the Articles, and while Congress could coin money, it did not have broad authority to regulate interstate commerce.

The key idea is that the Articles of Confederation created a very weak central government. There was no executive to enforce laws, no national court to interpret them, and Congress could not tax individuals or states or regulate trade between states. Because the national government lacked these powers, it struggled to fund itself, enforce laws, or coordinate among the states, which is why this statement is accurate.

The other ideas describe a stronger central government or powers the Articles did not grant. For example, a strong central constitution or a powerful federal court system didn’t exist under the Articles, and while Congress could coin money, it did not have broad authority to regulate interstate commerce.