Szatmarys book, government preferment of commercial interests over and defeat of the majority, independent yeoman farmers, was an object lesson. Shayss rebellion, 178687, armed insurrection by farmers in w massachusetts against the state government. Its 218 years later, but the spirit of shays rebellion has never been more important to revive than now. Shays was a massachusetts farmer and revolutionary war veteran who, like many of his fellow veterans, found himself broke and in debt after the war. List of books and articles about shays rebellion online. Shays rebellion started when the government of massachusetts decided to raise taxes instead of issuing paper money to pay off its debts.
In august 1786, a group of 1,500 farmers in western massachusetts, led by revolutionary war veteran. Shays rebellion was an armed uprising in western massachusetts in opposition to a debt. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Shayss rebellion that differs from most, if not all, previous accounts of the. The former colonies, many of them saddled with large war debts, were struggling to find ways to pay their creditors. Using shays rebellion timeline 2, ask students to name one lasting result of shays rebellion and suggest possible longterm solutions for the farmers economic problems. Debtridden farmers, struck by the economic depression that followed the american revolution, petitioned the state senate to issue paper money and to halt foreclosure of mortgages on their property and their own imprisonment for debt as a result of high land taxes. The drama of the shays rebellion is vividly captured in this one hour documentary.
The rebellion led to general george washington becoming the first president of the united states. A brief history of america told through dramatic readings applauding the enduring spirit of dissent. The book involved much painstaking primary research. Shays rebellion was a yearlong uprising in massachusetts, 1786, by the poorer. This is the story of shays rebellion, which i contend is the most important falsified event in american history. Farmers known as regulators organized protests, and in 1787, a large group of regulators led by farmer daniel shays marched on the u. Shays rebellion this conflict in massachusetts caused many to criticize the articles of confederation and admit the weak central government was not working.
Shays was a farmhand from massachusetts at the beginning of the revolutionary. The years after the american revolution 1775 1783 were very hard for most americans. The american revolutions final battle 9780812218701. A number of papers given at a tribute event were compiled in a collection edited. In 1787 what is often called shays rebellion took place. Shays and his forces, who sometimes called themselves shaysites and numbered about 1500, attacked an armory in springfield, massachusetts. In school were told that this was a halfassed rebellion of bankrupt farmers trying to avoid debt. Shays rebellion has been a topic of historical debate for almost two hundred years. By then, most of the rebels had been allowed to take loyalty oaths, pay a fine, and go home. The rebellion was quickly put down, but many small farmers could not pay their taxes and so faced imprisonment. Shays rebellion also shays s or shays, 178687 in western massachusetts, was the first populist uprising after the american revolution. But no pardons were offered to shays and the other leaders of the rebellion. If reliable sources have statements about the various alternatives to the putting down of shays rebellion that were proposed at the time or these sources mention that negotiations took place or reputable historians have written articles books about the circumstances surrounding the rebellion that then include if there were negotiations or not.
It is a story of speculation in government bonds, political intrigue, propaganda, and systematic deception. This video analyzes the peoples grievances with the articles of confederation that caused shays rebellion, a rebellion of farmers and merchants that proved the need for a new constitution. The articles of confederation and shayss rebellion duration. Nearby amherst has shays street and the horse caves, an overhanging ledge under which, according to local legend, daniel shays hid during the regulation. Shays rebellion shays rebellion was an uprising in massachusetts during late 1786 and early 1787.
In 1786, debtridden massachusetts farmers under the leadership of. The rebels were mostly exrevolutionary war soldiersturned farmers who opposed state economic policies causing poverty and property foreclosures. The american revolutions final battle, leonard richards reveals that this perception is misleading, that the rebellion was much more widespread than previously thought, and that the participants and their supporters actually represented whole communitiesthe wealthy and the poor, the influential and the weak, even. Marion starkeys, a little rebellion, is a good read, but the meat and potatoes are in the book, shays rebellion. Shays rebellion, 1786 a short history of the shays rebellion in massachusetts in the wake of the american revolution, in which many poor farmers and war veterans attempt to shut down the states courts in protest at the debt burden on veterans and high taxes on farmers. Armed bands forced the closures of several courts to prevent execution of foreclosures and debt processes. Shays rebellion the making of an agrarian insurrection. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Shays rebellion is repeatedly dismissed in the history books as an outoftheway incident following the american revolution. Moreover, the state constitution massachusetts adopted in 1780 was drafted mostly by businessmen who lived along the coast, and the states inland.
Dec 31, 2015 a super fast overview of the importance of the event known as shays rebellion from hiphughes with a special appearance from ouija, the demon cat. Occasionally, its grudgingly given praise for spurring the constitution convention. Publications of the colonial society of massachusetts. In pelham there is a monument to the regulators and their cause. The rebellion set the stage for george washingtons return to political life and highlighted weaknesses inherent within the articles of confederation. In most of the books of the last century, the farmers were the villains, and the merchants, lawyers. A super fast overview of the importance of the event known as shays rebellion from hiphughes with a special appearance from ouija, the demon cat. Daniel shays, began an uprising to protest what they. Armed rebellion in the newlyformed united states of america led to the creation of a stronger central government. Shays rebellion troubled farmers in the first years of peacetime, following the revolutionary war, the future of both the agrarian and commercial society appeared threatened by a strangling chain of debt which aggravated the depressed economy of the postwar years. Most of the young men from stockbridge have just returned from fighting in the rebellion and they discover that there are no jobs to be found and the economy in their town is in such terrible shape that few people have any money at all. As the election for a new massachusetts governor approached, sympathy for the rebels encouraged john hancock to run again. Shays rebellion was a series of violent attacks on courthouses and other government properties in massachusetts that began in 1786 and led to a fullblown military confrontation in 1787. Throughout the late summer and fall of 1786, farmers in central and western massachusetts organized themselves into armed groups to protest against established authority and aggressive creditors.
Shays rebellion was an armed uprising in western massachusetts in opposition to a debt crisis among the citizenry and the state governments increased efforts to collect taxes both on individuals and their trades. Debtridden farmers, struck by the economic depression that followed the american revolution, petitioned the state senate to issue paper money and to halt foreclosure of mortgages on their property. The united states emerged after shays rebellion a stronger nation, with a new constitution and george washington as its first president. Men like daniel shays organized as a result, and one action taken in 1786 was to march on debtors courts and demand they stop business. Dec 10, 20 this video analyzes the peoples grievances with the articles of confederation that caused shays rebellion, a rebellion of farmers and merchants that proved the need for a new constitution. The american revolutions final battle and millions of other books are available for instant access. Although the authorities had begun to refer to the uprising as shays rebellion, the moniker vastly overstated the leadership role of the.
The shays rebellion in this book was an actual armed uprising that took place in massachusetts in the latter part of the 18th century. A solid study of the rebellion focusing on the economic basis of the divergent interests of the eastern merchants who needed hard currency for trade with britain and the westren subsistence farmers. Richards does a great job in showing how the traditional narrative of shays s rebellion doesnt really work. Shayss rebellion johns hopkins university press books. This is a list of rebellions in the united states, it shows all rebellions fought in what is today the united states. Armed bands forced the closing of several courts to prevent execution of foreclosures and debt processes.
Shayss rebellion august 1786february 1787, uprising in western massachusetts in opposition to high taxes and stringent economic conditions. Shayss rebellion, august 1786february 1787, uprising in western massachusetts in opposition to high taxes and stringent economic conditions. It examines connec tions between the cause of shays rebellion, newspaper statements about. Americas first civil war is presented in animation format created by oscar nominee bill plympton with a musical score that evokes the tensions and surprises of this pivotal. Authority and distress in postrevolutionary america. In issuing this pamphlet on shays rebellion, we at solidarity books. See the fact file below for more information on shays rebellion or alternatively you can download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment. It is easy to dramatize shays rebellion and make villains and heroes of the participants. Constitutional convention and according to historian leonard l. Shays rebellion should be read by anyone interested in the confederation period. American revolutionary war veteran daniel shays led four thousand rebels in a protest against economic and civil rights injustices.