What did the states refuse to give up, leading to the weakness of the confederation government?

The choice regarding sovereignty is key to understanding the weaknesses of the confederation government established by the Articles of Confederation. Sovereignty refers to the authority of a state to govern itself or another state. After the Revolutionary War, states were reluctant to surrender their sovereignty to a central authority, fearing that a strong national government might become oppressive, similar to the British monarchy they had fought against.

This refusal to relinquish sovereignty meant that the national government lacked the necessary power to enforce laws, regulate commerce, or impose taxes effectively, leading to issues such as economic instability and difficulties in conducting foreign relations. Each state acted independently, often prioritizing its interests over collective national needs. As a result, the confederation was unable to function effectively, ultimately leading to its replacement by the current U.S. Constitution, which established a stronger federal government with clearly defined powers.

While resources, rights, and citizenship are important concepts, they did not directly reflect the primary issue that caused the confederation's weaknesses, which was primarily rooted in the states' insistence on retaining their sovereignty.