What significant limitation was placed on the Articles of Confederation?

One significant limitation of the Articles of Confederation was that the national government had no power to regulate trade. This inability to manage trade effectively came from the Articles' emphasis on strong state sovereignty, which led to fragmented economic policies. Each state could impose its own tariffs and trade restrictions, creating barriers that hindered interstate commerce and economic stability.

Consequently, this lack of a centralized authority to manage trade contributed to economic turmoil, making it difficult for the country to function cohesively as a single entity. This limitation highlights how the Articles of Confederation struggled to support a unified economic policy, which was one of the factors that led to the eventual drafting of the U.S. Constitution, establishing a stronger federal government with the power to regulate commerce.