Advanced Placement US History (AP US History) Practice Exam

What was a significant limitation of the Articles of Confederation?

1. The inability to form a military

2. The power to collect taxes

3. The establishment of a federal judiciary

4. The regulation of interstate commerce

The correct answer is: The power to collect taxes

The significant limitation of the Articles of Confederation was the power to collect taxes. Under the Articles, the federal government was largely powerless, lacking the authority to impose taxes on the states or individuals. This inability hindered the government's capacity to raise funds for essential needs, such as maintaining an army, paying debts, or funding federal programs. States could choose whether or not to pay taxes, leading to significant revenue shortages that crippled the national government’s operations and effectiveness. Over time, this limitation became a key issue, revealing the inadequacies of the Articles and contributing to the motivation for the Constitutional Convention, which sought to create a stronger federal government capable of imposing taxes and generating revenue. Other options do have their own significance but are not the most pressing limitations: the Articles permitted the formation of a militia but lacked a standing federal military; there was no established federal judiciary under the Articles, which meant legal disputes between states or individuals lacked a national adjudicator; and while the regulation of interstate commerce was left to the states, the inability to enforce consistent trade guidelines further demonstrated the weaknesses of the Articles, but without the authority to tax, the government couldn't function effectively overall.