"So long as any individual state has power to defeat the measures of the other 12, our pretended Union is but a name, and our confederation, a cobweb." - Noah Webster

Question

What big issue did Noah Webster find with the Articles of Confederation?
• States would always do what's best for themselves, even if it hurt the whole country.
• States would have no way to stop the central government from taxing them heavily.
• Smaller states would have an equal say in the government as larger states.
• The central government would always support big states over small ones in disagreements.

Answer 1

Noah Webster's quote highlights his concern that individual states could undermine collective decisions, suggesting that the Articles of Confederation created a system where states prioritized their own interests over the unity and effectiveness of the entire nation. Therefore, the correct answer to the big issue he found with the Articles of Confederation is:

• States would always do what's best for themselves, even if it hurt the whole country.