Strong or Weak

This worksheet helps students in Grades 4 and 5 strengthen analytical thinking, classification skills, civic understanding, and historical reasoning by examining examples of government power. Students read eight statements describing national actions and decide whether each reflects a weak government or a strong one, building a clear comparison between the Articles of Confederation and the stronger federal system created later.

Skills Reinforced

• Comparing Government Powers (Grades 4-5) – Students identify differences between limited and effective national authority.
• Classification & Analytical Thinking – Learners sort examples based on evidence and reasoning.
• Civics Understanding – The activity clarifies how powers such as taxation, trade regulation, leadership, and dispute resolution affect governance.
• Historical Reasoning – Students understand why early Americans recognized the need to replace the Articles of Confederation.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to align with elementary social studies and ELA standards.
• Clear, Concrete Examples – Realistic scenarios make abstract government concepts easier to understand.
• Flexible Classroom Use – Works well for independent practice, small groups, review lessons, or assessment.
• Builds Foundational Civics Knowledge – Helps students recognize what makes a government effective or ineffective.
• Low-Prep Printable – Easy to use in classrooms or homeschool settings.

This Strong or Weak worksheet helps students develop a clearer understanding of early American political challenges by analyzing examples of national authority. By classifying government actions and reflecting on their effectiveness, learners strengthen critical thinking, civic awareness, and historical comprehension. It’s a practical, engaging resource for both classroom and homeschool instruction.

This worksheet is part of our Articles of Confederation Worksheets collection.