Question

which of the following was a weakness of the articles of confederation?
a congress lacked the power to tax.
b the president had too much power.
c congress was not allowed to coin money.
d congress was not allowed to conduct foreign policy.

Explanation:

To determine a weakness of the Articles of Confederation, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress indeed lacked the power to tax. It could only request funds from the states, which was a major weakness as it limited the national government's ability to raise revenue and pay debts.
• Option B: The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government, and the president (more accurately, the presiding officer of Congress) had very little power, so this is incorrect.
• Option C: Congress was allowed to coin money under the Articles of Confederation, so this is not a weakness.
• Option D: Congress was responsible for conducting foreign policy under the Articles of Confederation, so this is incorrect.

Answer:

A. Congress lacked the power to tax.