This learning resource focuses on analyzing the structural limitations of the Articles of Confederation through a simulation activity. Students are placed in the role of tenants in a boarding house facing a severe roof leak, which serves as an analogy for the challenges faced under the Articles. The resource outlines key civic rules, including the requirement for unanimous consent for financial decisions and a supermajority for legislative decisions, thereby illustrating how these rules create gridlock. Students are guided to reflect on the implications of individual veto power versus collective needs and are tasked to diagnose the systemic failures caused by the lack of an executive authority. The activity includes a negotiation log, guided inquiries, and reflections linking the simulation to historical lessons about governance and the necessity of effective national authority.