False. The Articles of Confederation were not easy to change. In fact, changing the Articles required unanimous approval from all thirteen states, making it a difficult and cumbersome process. This inflexibility of the Articles eventually led to the drafting of a new constitution, as the weaknesses of the Articles became apparent.
Under the Articles of Confederation, a president would lead the country.
False. Under the Articles of Confederation, there was no executive branch or president to lead the country. The Articles established a weak central government with a unicameral Congress as the main governing body. There were no separate branches of government, and the powers of the federal government were limited.
Under the Articles, states with more people got more votes in Congress.
False. Under the Articles of Confederation, each state had equal representation in Congress, regardless of their population size. Each state was allowed to send between two and seven delegates to Congress, and each state, regardless of its size or population, had one vote. This equal representation for all states, regardless of their population, was a significant weakness of the Articles and was later addressed in the creation of the Constitution with the establishment of a bicameral legislature.
Under the Articles of Confederation, states would be independent.
True. Under the Articles of Confederation, the states were considered sovereign and independent entities. The central government created by the Articles had limited power, with most governing authority retained by the individual states. The central government's main purpose was to handle certain common issues, such as defense, foreign affairs, and settling disputes between states. The intention was to maintain a loose confederation of independent states rather than a strong central government.
Under the Articles, Congress did NOT have the power to collect taxes.
False. Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress did have the power to collect taxes. However, it lacked the authority to enforce tax collection, which proved to be a significant weakness. The central government could request funds from the states, but it could not compel them to comply. This lack of revenue severely constrained the ability of the central government to carry out its duties effectively, leading to financial and economic difficulties.
False. The Articles of Confederation, which served as the first constitution of the United States, were intentionally designed to be difficult to change. This was because the Founding Fathers wanted to prevent hasty and ill-considered amendments. To amend the Articles of Confederation, unanimous consent from all 13 states was required. This high threshold made it challenging to institute any significant changes to the document. As a result, the limitations and flaws of the Articles eventually led to the creation of a new framework for American government, the Constitution.
