The two most significant problems with the Articles of Confederation were the central government's inability to regulate commerce and to levy sufficient taxes. As a result of its inability to regulate commerce the central government was not able to negotiate treaties which protected and standardized trade between the several states and foreign nations. The inability to tax was, if anything, a more severe problem. Because the central government could not levy taxes beyond the property taxes assessed by the states themselves it lacked to funds to repay the nations war debts, to administer the state, and to fund necessary projects.
