What event in 1786 demonstrated the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

What event in 1786 demonstrated the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

• A. Shays' Rebellion
• B. The Boston Tea Party
• C. The Continental Congress
• D. The War of 1812

Answer: (A)

Shays' Rebellion in 1786 shows why the Articles of Confederation left the new nation with a weak central government. Under the Articles, Congress could request money from the states but had no power to levy taxes or create a standing army. When western Massachusetts farmers faced heavy debts and taxes, the central government could not finance a national response or muster troops. It had to rely on state militias, and in this case Massachusetts had to.SYSTEM manage the crisis largely on its own. The episode revealed that without a stronger federal authority to enforce laws, regulate finances, and provide national defense, the country was vulnerable to internal unrest and could not guarantee order. This experience helped fuel the move toward drafting a new framework—the Constitution—so the federal government could act decisively in such situations. The other events listed don’t illustrate this weakness: the Boston Tea Party occurred under British rule before independence; the Continental Congress was the governing body, not a showing of weakness; and the War of 1812 happened after the Articles had already been replaced.

Shays' Rebellion in 1786 shows why the Articles of Confederation left the new nation with a weak central government. Under the Articles, Congress could request money from the states but had no power to levy taxes or create a standing army. When western Massachusetts farmers faced heavy debts and taxes, the central government could not finance a national response or muster troops. It had to rely on state militias, and in this case Massachusetts had to.SYSTEM manage the crisis largely on its own. The episode revealed that without a stronger federal authority to enforce laws, regulate finances, and provide national defense, the country was vulnerable to internal unrest and could not guarantee order. This experience helped fuel the move toward drafting a new framework—the Constitution—so the federal government could act decisively in such situations. The other events listed don’t illustrate this weakness: the Boston Tea Party occurred under British rule before independence; the Continental Congress was the governing body, not a showing of weakness; and the War of 1812 happened after the Articles had already been replaced.