Articles of Confederation AP History Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

📚 Quick Study Guide

📜 Ratification: Adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and ratified on March 1, 1781. ⚖️ Structure: Established a "league of friendship" among the 13 states, maintaining state sovereignty. 🏛️ Central Government: A unicameral Congress where each state had one vote. 💰 Powers: Limited powers granted to the central government, including declaring war, making treaties, and coining money (but no power to tax). 🚧 Weaknesses: Significant weaknesses included the inability to enforce laws or taxes, regulate interstate commerce, and a lack of national currency. 💥 Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787): Highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles, leading to calls for a stronger national government. 📝 Successes: Successfully guided the nation through the end of the Revolutionary War and established principles for governing the Western territories (e.g., Northwest Ordinance of 1787).

🤔 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
   1. A) A strong executive branch
   2. B) The power to regulate interstate commerce
   3. C) The inability to enforce laws and taxes
   4. D) A national court system
2. Under the Articles of Confederation, how many votes did each state have in the Continental Congress?
   1. A) Based on population
   2. B) Two votes
   3. C) One vote
   4. D) Three votes
3. What event highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and led to calls for a stronger national government?
   1. A) The Boston Tea Party
   2. B) Shays' Rebellion
   3. C) The Whiskey Rebellion
   4. D) The XYZ Affair
4. Which of the following was a power granted to the central government under the Articles of Confederation?
   1. A) The power to tax
   2. B) The power to regulate interstate commerce
   3. C) The power to declare war
   4. D) The power to enforce laws
5. What was the primary goal of the Articles of Confederation?
   1. A) To create a strong centralized government
   2. B) To establish a loose alliance of independent states
   3. C) To promote international trade
   4. D) To create a national currency
6. Which ordinance, passed under the Articles of Confederation, established principles for governing the Western territories?
   1. A) The Land Ordinance of 1785
   2. B) The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
   3. C) The Southwest Ordinance of 1790
   4. D) The Louisiana Purchase Treaty
7. When was the Articles of Confederation ratified?
   1. A) 1776
   2. B) 1781
   3. C) 1787
   4. D) 1789