What was the main issue with the Articles of Confederation?

The main issue with the Articles of Confederation was that it established a government that was too weak to enforce laws. This framework of government, ratified in 1781, created a loose confederation of states, where the national government lacked significant powers, particularly in areas such as taxation and regulation of commerce.

Each state retained its sovereignty and independence, which meant that the national government could not impose taxes or compel states to comply with requests, leading to financial instability and difficulties in governance. The inability to enforce laws and manage national issues resulted in an ineffective central authority that struggled to unify the states or address challenges like Shays' Rebellion, which highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles in dealing with domestic unrest. This ultimately revealed the need for a stronger federal government, leading to the Constitutional Convention and the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787.