Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
And the Solutions Found in the Constitution
Weaknesses of the Articles
of Confederation
1. No Executive Branch
2. No Power to power to tax
or regulate commerce
3. No federal courts
4. Unanimous vote needed
to amend the Articles of
Confederation
5. No power to control
military service.
Section of the
Constitution
Solution to Problem
Described
Describe the Constitutions
Solution to the Problem
Answer Key: (Depending on student’s interpretation of the U.S. Constitution answers
may vary.)
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
And the Solutions Found in the Constitution
Weaknesses of the Articles
of Confederation
Section of the
Constitution
Solution to Problem
Described
1. No Executive Branch
Article II-Section 1
Describe the Constitutions
Solution to the Problem
The President has the executive
power along with a Vice
President and must hold office
during a term of four years. (At
this point no limit of terms had
been set.)
2. No Power to power to tax Article I-Section 8
or regulate commerce
Congress has the power to set
and collect taxed and regulate
commerce with foreign nations,
and among the states.
3. No federal courts
Article III,
Sections 1 and 2
The judicial power will be held
by one supreme court and
inferior courts. ( Examples of
inferior courts: state supreme,
local courts, appellate courts
etc.)
4. Unanimous vote needed
to amend the Articles of
Confederation
Article V
To propose an Amendments to
the Constitution two thirds of
both Houses vote to propose an
amendment. To ratify an
Amendment three fourths of the
state legislatures must approve
it.
5. No power to control
military service.
Article 1-Section 8
Congress has the power to create
and support an army and navy,
and to make rules and
regulations for the army and
navy to abide by.