What was the major problem with the Articles of Confederation, and what was one significant cause of this issue?

 The major problem with the Articles of Confederation, which served as the first constitution for the United States from 1781 to 1789, was that it created a very weak federal government. Under the Articles, the national government had no power to tax, no authority to regulate commerce between the states or with foreign nations, and could not enforce its laws without the voluntary compliance of the states. This lack of a strong central authority made it difficult for the country to operate effectively both domestically and internationally.

One of the bad consequences of these weaknesses was that the federal government struggled to pay off the debts incurred during the American Revolutionary War. Without the power to tax, the national government had to request money from the states, which often did not comply. This left the United States in a precarious financial position and harmed its reputation with foreign nations, which became increasingly reluctant to loan money or form diplomatic relations with a nation that seemed financially unstable and politically fragmented.