"The United States in Congress assembled, shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war... entering into treaties and alliances, provided that no treaty of commerce shall be made whereby the legislative power of the respective States shall be restrained from imposing such imposts and duties on foreigners, as their own people are subjected to, or from prohibiting the exportation or importation of any species of goods or commodities whatsoever..."
— Articles of Confederation, Article IX, 1777
Which of the following historical situations in the 1780s arose most directly from the constitutional limitation described in the excerpt?
- Individual states established competing tariffs and trade barriers, as Congress lacked the authority to enforce a uniform national commercial policy.Answer
- BThe federal government prohibited states from taxing interstate commerce, leading to an economic boom that primarily benefited Northern merchants.
- CParliament repealed the Townshend Acts in response to the uniform trade restrictions established by the Confederation Congress.
- DFederalists and Democratic-Republicans split over whether to ratify a commercial treaty with France, leading to the collapse of the unicameral legislature.
Answer
Individual states established competing tariffs and trade barriers, as Congress lacked the authority to enforce a uniform national commercial policy.
The correct answer is correct because the Articles of Confederation left the power to regulate commerce and levy tariffs to the individual states. Consequently, during the 1780s, states engaged in economic disputes by imposing competing tariffs on foreign goods and on trade with neighboring states, which prevented the establishment of a coherent national trade policy and weakened the young nation's economy.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The economic and political weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, specifically regarding the regulation of commerce.
Estimated Time:1m 0s