One of the main weaknesses of the Articles Confederation was the inability of the federal government to properly regulate interstate and international trade. The federal government was granted the authority to regulate foreign trade, but it lacked the power to impose tariffs or regulate trade between the states. This led to a lack of uniformity in trade regulations, as well as a lack of federal oversight of trade issues. Additionally, the federal government was unable to impose taxes or duties, and had to rely on the states to provide financial support.