Question

what was congress not allowed to do under the articles of confederation?

Answer 1

Congress was not allowed to raise a national army. The defense of the country was dependent upon the state militias. Thus, if a problem arose in a state which was detremental to the national interest, the national government couldn't do a thing to enforce it. Not to mention, this led to a weak defense system of the U.S. It also could not collect taxes and had to allow the states to make treaty's on their own.