They gained new rights because they had contributed to the overthrow of the French. They gained prestige because they had fought alongside the new settlers of their land.
There could be several options for answering that question. I'd say one area of strength for the Articles of Confederation was that they encouraged coordinated, cooperative action between the states to resolve any disputes between the states. Another strength might be the establishment of a Department of the Treasury and Department of Postal Service so that money could be coined and mail service provided.
Meanwhile, there were also weaknesses, such as each state got only one vote, regardless of the size of the state. Also, each state could tax trade from other states -- there was no authority in the Confederation to regulate interstate commerce.
Answer:
This question says Why do YOU think. It is an opinion question, so you are supposed to say what you think. There is no right or wrong answer in this case.
:)
