Under the Articles of Confederation, which government had the MOST power?

• A. The Federal Government Had Supreme Authority
• B. The Executive Branch Held Sole Power
• C. The States Had More Power Over The Federal Government
• D. The Judiciary Controlled Most Decisions

Answer: (C)

In a confederation like the Articles of Confederation, the central government is designed to be weak and the states hold most of the sovereignty. The national government could conduct diplomacy, wage war, and handle certain limited duties, but it lacked real enforcement power: it couldn’t tax the people or regulate trade, and it depended on the states for funds and compliance. There was no national executive to enforce laws and no national judiciary to settle disputes. Major decisions required broad consensus from the states—nine of thirteen to pass laws and unanimous consent to amend the Articles—so states could effectively block national goals. Because the states retained sovereignty and the central government had to beg for cooperation rather than compel it, the states had more power over the federal government.