| A | B |
|---|
| Congress didn't have the power to levy taxes | Could raise money only by borrowing or requesting money from states |
| Congress did not have the power to regulate trade | Economic disputes among the states, difficulty making business arrangements with other countries |
| Congress could not force anyone to obey the laws | Congress could only advice and request that states comply |
| Laws needed the approval of 9 of the 13 states | Made it difficult to pass laws |
| Amending the Articles required all states to agree | In practice this was impossible - articles never amended |
| The central government did not have an executive branch | No unity in policymaking and no way to coordinate the work of different congressional committees |
| The government had no national court system | State courts enforced and integrated national laws |
| The central government under the Articles of Confederation was too weak | A new constitution was created at the convention in Philadelphia |
