Which document created the first national government in the United States?

Which document created the first national government in the United States?

• A. Declaration of Independence
• B. The Constitution
• C. The Articles of Confederation
• D. The Bill of Rights

Answer: (C)

The central idea being tested is which document first created a national government for the United States. The answer is the Articles of Confederation. It established a national framework after independence by uniting the thirteen states in a loose federation. The national government created by the Articles had a Congress that could handle foreign affairs, war, and relations between states, and could coin money, but it had no executive branch to enforce laws and no national judiciary. It also lacked the power to tax, so it depended on voluntary contributions from states, which made it hard to fund operations or address national problems. This setup reflected the founders’ fear of centralized power, but its limitations soon proved problematic, prompting the drafting of a new framework—the Constitution—which created a stronger federal government with distinct powers, an executive, and a national court system. The Bill of Rights later added protections for individual rights, and the Declaration of Independence is a statement of principles rather than a government framework.

The central idea being tested is which document first created a national government for the United States. The answer is the Articles of Confederation. It established a national framework after independence by uniting the thirteen states in a loose federation. The national government created by the Articles had a Congress that could handle foreign affairs, war, and relations between states, and could coin money, but it had no executive branch to enforce laws and no national judiciary. It also lacked the power to tax, so it depended on voluntary contributions from states, which made it hard to fund operations or address national problems. This setup reflected the founders’ fear of centralized power, but its limitations soon proved problematic, prompting the drafting of a new framework—the Constitution—which created a stronger federal government with distinct powers, an executive, and a national court system. The Bill of Rights later added protections for individual rights, and the Declaration of Independence is a statement of principles rather than a government framework.