Shays Rebellion Dbq

Shays Rebellion Dbq
Since when is fighting for what you believe in a bad thing? To summarize, Shays' rebellion was caused because taxes were raised by 1000%, the
farmers were jailed since they couldn't pay, and 1,500 farmers stole weapons in which 4 were killed by local militia during the process. Although many
people believe that the Shays' supporters were rebels, nevertheless they were freedom fighters because they were fighting for their rights, being
unlawfully punished, and the police were abusing their power.
To begin, the farmers were fighting for their rights. According to Document C, "what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned
from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?" (Jefferson). Thomas Jefferson explained that it is normal for people to protest if
they think something is wrong. In this case, the farmers didn't like that they were being punished because they couldn't afford to pay the high taxes, so
they started speaking up. But instead of pacifying the farmers, they were being...show more content...
Document A says "The Riot Act gives unlimited power to justices of the peace, sheriffs, Deputy
–Sheriffs, and police officers and makes it impossible to
bring them to court. Yet their actions may be motivated by revenge hatred, and envy." (Gray) In other words, the law enforcement could do whatever
they wanted and not be punished. This kind of power was easily abused to meet the personal interest of an officer and could've been used to make
unfair choices.
The supporters of Shays' Rebellion were doing what was right and letting the government know that they didn't like the immensely high taxes that were
in place. They fought for their rights, were illegitimately jailed, and the law enforcement misused their authority. Even if the odds were against them,
the farmers still took action and protested. These signs of bravery and courage show that the protesters were not rebels, but freedom
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Shay's Rebellion Research Paper
Just a year ago, we were all either participating in or witnessing a rebellion; Shay's Rebellion. Last year our very own congress borrowed a
tremendous amount of money from wealthy merchants. Following our victory in the war, the merchants demanded that they are paid back, but the
congress did not have the power to repay the merchants under the Articles of Confederation. The states decided to relieve the problem themselves by
taxing their citizens heavily. The only problem with this though, was that many farmers in western Massachusetts were war veterans, so they had a
difficult time paying. The legislature refused to pass laws to help the farmers, and thus a leader was born; Daniel Shay. Daniel Shay led protests and
attacks. Although his rebellion was not a success, he is regarded as a hero in many eyes....show more content...
Shay's methods very simple and they required less violence, but they did get the attention needed for reform. Although Shay's rebellion did not succeed,
it brought awareness to the flaws in the Articles of

Shay's Rebellion
The Decline of Deference Deference played a crucial role in early American politics and was seen as key to the republic. The framers of the
Constitution bore the notion of deference, submissiveness or subordination to social elites, in mind and firmly believed that the American public would
behave in such a manner. However, by early 19th century, it is clear that deferential political behavior has declined. Two major causes arguably of this
decline are the Revolutionary War and later, the Sedition Act. "In American history popular movements often shaped elites, especially in times of crisis
when elites were concerned with the 'system'" (Young 1987). Preceding the Revolutionary War, great discontent against Britain unified the American
people....show more content...
At around this time, the French Revolution had recently taken place. Jay's Treaty was a disaster and in response the French government permitted the
French navy to freely attack American merchant ships. This outraged and terrified Americans who were largely split between those wanting a war on
France and those worried that the same French navy that came to their aid during the Revolutionary War would return to attack them. Criticism for
Adam and his government grew and exacerbated concerns for imminent war. In response to this so–called Quasi–War because no war ensued these
naval skirmishes, the Alien and Sedition Acts were

Effects Of Shays Rebellion
Recently, something has been going on, Shays' Rebellion. To those who don't know what it is, it is a series of protests against tax collections and
judgments for debt. Named after and led by Daniel Shays, these protests have been going on for a while. About two months, to be exact. All about the
states, from New Hampshire to South Carolina, farmers were taking up arms in protest. However, in Massachusetts, the rebellion was the most serious,
because farmers were threatened with the loss of their farms due to high taxes, bad harvests, and economic depression. As the recession deepened,
communities throughout Massachusetts petitioned the State legislature for fiscal relief. Thousands marched to shut down courts they believed
betrayed the principles

Economic Causes Of Shay's Rebellion Essay
The economic problems that led to Shay's rebellion began with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the revolutionary war and recognized
America's independence. America's independence came with some unforeseen complications, since America was no longer a British colony they were
cut out of many British markets including the Caribbean. Also many American merchants were in debt to British creditors and the creditors demanded
cash payments with short deadlines and harsh punishments. This in turn caused American merchants to demand their money back from businesses
who were in debt to them. These businesses then called for farmers and smaller businesses to pay back their debts. In addition to having to pay back
their mounting debt farmers also had to pay taxes that were being raised by...show more content...
The men to whom the state owed money had great influence in legislator because many of them were either a part of it or had relatives who were.
This caused the legislator to rule in favor of higher taxes to quickly pay back war debts with little consideration for farmers who were already
struggling to pay back personal debt. Many farmers were forced to sell land, animals and machinery to pay back their debts which made greatly
reduced their profits. Many other farmers were taken to court for debts they could not pay back and some were thrown in to debtors prisons.
Originally farmers tried to work through the legislator asking for them to lower taxes and to print more paper money but the legislator met again and
again each time ignoring the farmer's requests. In 1782, Samuel Ely, a preacher gathered farmers together in Western Massachusetts and targeted the
court house he was arrested but the spark was ignited. Steep inflation and a depression continued to make things economically hard for farmers and
more and more were facing court penalties for being unable to pay debts. In 1786 a countywide convention was held to organize their grievances
against the Massachusetts

Shay's Rebellion
Recently, the debate and law changing of gun control is the United States have been a controversial topic. The history of law related to gun and arms
in the U.S is like a pen that paints the rights of owning guns in the presence of the states. The book "A well–regulated militia", which is written by
Saul Cornell, says about the controversial debate in the history of the Second Amendment and historical facts involved in the 19th century about the
right of bearing guns and standing militia. This essay will discuss some of the information, which is stated, in the book about the idea of gun
ownership, the important rebellion, the Federalist and Anti– Federalist on standing army and gun control, the change of gun culture in early 19th
century and...show more content...
The protestors called themselves "Regulators" and they took action without acceptance of the courts or the legislature because the government wanted
to raise money to pay for the war debt by raising tax and foreclosing the people (Cornell, 31). The embattled farmer in western Massachusetts stood up
and they took arms to protect their liberty against the tyranny because the government failed to respond to their needs during the liberty riot in 1768.
Therefore, Shays's Rebellion was the biggest violent protest in the new nation's history of the states and it "would become the first test of the radical
potential of militia and the right to bear arms in post–Revolutionary America" (Cornell 31). Moreover, the rebellion was so huge and Governor
Bowdoin ordered the militia to march against the Regulators but the militia refused to do so and they joined the Shays's rebellion instead, they
protest to keep the courts closed in order to prevent further foreclosures and tax raising. (Cornell, 34). Thus, this was a huge success for Shays's
rebellion and it proofed that the strength of citizen's militia is more superior than a standing army (Cornell, 33). However, the debate included that
Friends of Order, which group supported the government, said that the western militia refused to march against the rebellion as an anarchy was a
weakness (Cornell, 33). Therefore, Shays's rebellion raised a controversy debate in American constitutional theory was that the militia was an agent of
government authority or the militia was a popular institution checking on the government (Cornell, 33). However, Shay's and his follower were work
collectively, they did not work alone as an individuals and their hearts was for the locality and the same can be told by the militia, the militia
represented the

Essay on Shay's Rebellion
"I hold it, that a little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing" (Jefferson). Thomas Jefferson wrote these words in a letter to James Madison after
hearing about Shay's Rebellion while he was a foreign diplomat in Paris. After the rebellion happened, the "Shaysites" as they were called, were
labeled as traitors to their country and the democratic form of government. But were they really? Many of the men fighting in the rebellion felt that
they were being oppressed just as they had been under British rule.
After the Revolutionary War the United States had a massive debt to deal with, but because of the Articles of Confederation the federal government
could not raise taxes to pay off the debt (Blake). States were responsible...show more content...
In Hampshire County "32.4% of men over sixteen" appeared in court over a period of two years (Livergood).
Many farmers were angered, but had faith in their new government. According to William Manning, who lived during the Rebellion, "...the people were
driven to the greatest extremity. Many counties took to conventions remonstrances, and petitions to a court where they were not half represented"
(Manning). For four years, counties from all over the state sent polite petitions to the government stating that the rural economy was in atrocious shape
and asking for the government to give them some relief, all of which the government ignored (Smith). As the Massachusetts government continued to
ignore their petitions, many farmers started to see similarities between how they were being treated by their new government and how the had been
treated by Great Britain. Finally after four years in 1786, when the legislature ignored the petitions once again people in communities like Pelham had
been patient long enough. They felt it was time for action and turned to the method that had worked just a few short years ago.
On August 22, 1786, many people attended the Hatfield Convention, where it was decided that it was time to make the Massachusetts take notice of
their problems. They compiled a list of seventeen grievances against the Massachusetts government, six of which the felt proved the

Shay's Rebellion Analysis
The war has just ended, the government is in debt millions of dollars and the economy is in serious trouble. Farmers in Massachusetts are feeling the
hit from the economy hard and rebelled against the state government. James Madison wrote the document "Shay's Rebellion" in 1786. In this document
told the story is told of Shay's Rebellion and America's problems in the 1780's. The intended audience of this paper is America to show what she needs
to stay strong. One significant problem during this time was government bankruptcy and without the states repaying loans, drastic measures had to be
taken. The purpose of this document was to catalog the problems America was having before Shay's Rebellion happened and the transition to a strong
central

Shays Rebellion Tax Rebellion
A progression of tax revolts by Massachusetts ranchers against the Massachusetts law making body in 1786–1787. Shays' Rebellion, the
post–Revolutionary conflict between New England ranchers and traders that tried the unsafe organizations of the new republic, debilitated to dive the
divided states into a common war. The Rebellion emerged in Massachusetts in 1786, spread to different states, and finished in a failed assault on a
government munitions stockpile. It slowed down in 1787 with the decision of a more well known representative, a financial rise, and the formation of
the Constitution of the United States in Philadelphia.
After the Revolutionary War, the Massachusetts governing body forced high expenses to pay war obligations. Rustic agriculturists

Shays ' Rebellion : Authority And Distress
In the book "Shays' Rebellion: Authority and Distress in Post–revolutionary America", Sean Condon shows us his outlook on how he saw
post–revolutionary America to be within the late 1770's and 1780's. This book was released in 2015 by John Hopkins University Press, and was
also made in a continuing book series by Peter Charles Hoffer and Willamjames Hull Hofer called Witness to History. The story takes us "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. Calling themselves "regulators" or the "voice of the people."" [1] Condon succeeds by prosing an appealing idea in
an upfront style that shapes...show more content...
Condon get the reader to see the side of the farmers and how the government is wrong, but he also portrays how the government, who are a wise
and rich men, clearly reacted to a rebellion trying to destroy what has been created to keep order. Condon shows us the "rebels" and he points out
the way other revolutions happen within England and different American Colonies. He keeps pointing out that the resistance, lead by a very
symbolic leader Daniel Shay, always gets referred to as the "regulation," while as the people fighting in the resistance refer to themselves as the
"regulators." Daniel shay was one of the main leaders and roles played in the rebellion. "Captain Shays cut an impressive figure in his Continental
Army uniform. His dignified air of command and his confident knowledge of military protocols lent credence and respectability to the ranks marching
on the courthouse." [2] The people fighting for the resistance "regulators" are fighting for their debt to be relived, have paper currency as the new
form for currency, laws that are not as cruel to anybody, not have debtors gain interest they owe to their wealthy loaners, having a constitution that will
be more helping towards the citizens rather than attacking them, the capital to be more continently located to benefit them, rid the Common Pleas
Court, having court fees lowered or completely removed. "The court closures of the previous several weeks had all targeted the civil Court of Common

How Was Shay's Rebellion Justified
The actions of the members of the Shay's Rebellion were justified because state officials took their land, to pay their own debt. Shay's Rebellion was
a fight against government control. The country after the Revolutionary War was severely damaged especially in the trade market. The British cut off
trades in the West Indies market crippling the economy. Due to the poor economy the farmers had difficulty selling their products and being able to
pay the money requested to the government to pay off their war debts. This enabled the states to take the farmers' land to pay the state's debts. Shay's
Rebellion, although dangerous the rebellion wanted to force the government to making their own money and create new policies in order to pay off the

Causes Of Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion The American Revolution had 1500 farmers that had protested in Shay's Rebellion. Daniel Gray is a guy that was part of the
committee for the above purposes. Although Shay's farmers did some good things, but i think they are rebels, nevertheless they are blaming colonies
for the little money they have, and they have broken laws about different things. To begin with, their careless actions led to Shay's rebellion and
which 1500 farmers protested. The evidence shows,"We have thought it best to tell you about some of the main causes of the recent risings of the
people and also of their actions". The farmers had rebelled and there were 1500 of them protesting, which had led to careless actions. The farmers
started to blame

Examples Of Shays Rebellion
Shays Rebellion "What country ever existed without a rebellion?" Shay's Rebellion is when taxes were raised and farmers were unable to pay
them so they were thrown in jail. They were angry so they broke into the government arsenal and stole weapons. As a result the local militia killed
four farmers. Some say the farmers were rebels nevertheless they were freedom fighters because they fight for what they believe in, they are pressed
with harsh rules and they just want to be equal with the upper class. The farmers fight for their rights. "The people who have stepped up to demand
rights for themselves are likely to be put in jail." (Gray) So they got thrown in jail for standing up for what they believe in. Thomas Jefferson says,
"The tree of liberty

Shays Rebellion Research Paper
Brian Cooper
HIST 300
Dr. Karr
December 4 2013
Shays Rebellion and Young American Democracy
After the Revolutionary War, the newly formed United States were finding their governmental system, the Articles of Confederation, facing its first
years of trials. One of these trials, which was a culmination of many political and economic conflicts of the times, was Shays' Rebellion. Shays '
Rebellion was an armed rebel uprising that took place in Massachusetts during 1786 and 1787. The Rebellion was a result of long–standing and
increasing disaffection with State and Federal governments by farmers and others affected by tax and debt imbalances resulting from the falling out
with Britain after the Revolutionary War. Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays led a group of rebels in rising up first against Massachusetts' courts,
and later in marching on the United States' Federal Armory at...show more content...
An Address from the General Court, to the People of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts [electronic resource]. n.p.: Boston : Adams & Nourse, 1786.,
1786. SIUC online resources, EBSCOhost (accessed September 4, 2014).
Feer, Robert (September 1969). "Shays's Rebellion and the Constitution: A Study in Causation". The New England Quarterly (Volume 42, No. 3).
JSTOR 363616
Minot, George Richards. 1970. The History of the Insurrections in Massachusetts in the Year Seventeen Hundred and Eighty–Six and the Rebellion
Consequent Thereon. n.p.: Freeport, N.Y., Books for Libraries Press [1970], 1970. I–Share, EBSCOhost (accessed September 4, 2014).
Richards, Leonard L (2002). Shays's Rebellion: The American Revolution's Final Battle. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN
978–0–8122–1870–1. OCLC 56029217
Szatmary, David P. (1980). Shays's Rebellion: The Making of an Agrarian Insurrection. University of Massachusetts Press. ISBN 978
–0–87023–419–4.
Zinn, Howard (2005). A People's History of the United States. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 978
–0–06–083865–2. OCLC

Thomas Jefferson Letter Shay's Rebellion
Thomas Jefferson believed the Shay's Rebellion was a very significant event. In the year 1787, he wrote a letter, conveying his idea of rebellions.
"Yet where does this anarchy exist?" a line written in Jefferson's letter. This tells us his idea of Shay's rebellion. From this one line we can conclude
that he does not believe there is a real chaos going on. "God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion." What he means by this is
that rebellions sometimes do need to happen. It makes up what helps us learn and improve. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time
with the blood of patriots and tyrants." When he says this he means that sacrifices have to be made in order for us to

Thesis For Shays Rebellion
The question of Shays rebellion being rebels or freedom fighters is a highly debated topic in US history. Although some people may think that they
were reckless rebels, nevertheless they were just trying to be heard, and they were freedom fighters with a good cause trying to keep what was theirs,
because the government was giving them unlawful punishment if they couldn't pay their taxes, the government wasted their money on vanity, and
lastly the farmers fought back in big ways that may have seemed reckless, and rebel–like, but they were just trying to be heard.

Shays Rebellion Research Paper
The coercive acts came to be when the British got upset/mad from the event of the Boston Tea Party. The Boston Tea Party was an event when the
Sons of liberty destroyed tons of British tea by dumping it into the river. The British then established a series of four acts to try to restore order.
First the Boston Port Act, which was the port to be closed until the tea that was dumped into the river was paid for. Second Massachusetts
Governing Act, to suppress town meeting and trials of royal officials to be held outside of New England. Third was the Quartering Act, governor's
requisition housing for British troops. Fourth Quebec Act, allowing freedom of worship to Canadian Catholics. Which all lead to Shays Rebellion.
Shays Rebellion was a series of protests. How it lead to the constitution because it was the most dramatic social, political and economic struggle.
Reason for Electoral College was because the people were not smart enough to pick their president. The founding fathers also created a buffer between
population and selection of the president. How federalism was a way to protect against tyrannical government was to...show more content...
Madison. There were two reasons why it was the most important. Reason one was it allowed power to the courts to review a law. Reason two was to
strengthen check and balances. The compromise of 1820 was involved in slavery, statehood, and the senate. There was a lot of tension between the
north and the south because of slavery and splitting the new lands evenly. Which also caused arguing between the government systems. The arguing
lead to a conclusion, the 36'30" line. That split the north and the south allowing the south to have slaves without drama with the north. There was no
permanent solution because the country was still growing. Why the Hudson River school was important because it brought art to the U.S. Their art
brought discovery, exploration and

SHAYS'S REBELLION AND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
Introduction
Although not widely known, Shays's Rebellion greatly impacted the debate on sovereignty and led many to conclude that the only possible solution
was the centralization of power in a national authority. Historian John Garraty notes, "The lessons became plain: Liberty must not become an excuse
for license; and therefore greater authority must be vested in the central government."[1] While this effect was not the "rebels'" intended goal, Shays's
Rebellion helped shape the construction of the U.S. Constitution and the American political thought that has since followed. An analysis of both the
causes and effects of Shays's Rebellion highlights its contribution to the...show more content...
They were stopped by a 3,000–man army commissioned by Massachusetts Governor James Bowdoin. The farmers continued to express their
aggravations through riotous manifestations. After a series of several threatening (but not altogether violent) interactions, Major General Benjamin
Lincoln, head of the state–authorized militia, finally subdued the rebellion in late February when the harsh New England winter limited the rebels'
ability to flee government forces. All in all, "The fears that were aroused by the rebellion helped to produce a stronger central government in the United
States."[3] Shays's Rebellion was a major catalyst for the Constitutional Convention. Frightened by disorder in what was supposed to be the strongest
state in the nation, George Washington and other important national leaders met in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787 to draft the U.S.
Constitution.
Historical Context
Under the Articles of Confederation ratified in 1781, each state was responsible for collecting its own revenues and alleviating its own debt. In the
early 1780s, Massachusetts was burdened by a $5 million debt comprised of various expenses incurred during the Revolutionary War. It was also
subject to a call for even more money by the Continental Congress as part of its quota for

Shay's Rebellion Essay
During the time of Reconstruction, an army of farmers set out to prove their point to the government. Their goal was to shut down court houses
around Massachusetts to protect farmers from paying debts and being thrown in jail. The new government at the time was not ready for this rebellion
and many feared this movement. This would be later know as Shays' Rebellion. This rebellion would be led by a man known as Daniel Shays. "Daniel
Shays' parents emigrated from Ireland to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1730s" (Shays). Daniel was born in the Massachusetts along with five
others siblings. He would later grow up and marry Abigail Gilbert before he left for war. Shays' military skills grew quickly and rapidly. He started as a
Sargent and ranked up to a Lieutenant. Daniel would be involved in such battles as Bunker Hill...show more content...
The farmers would go to the creditors and borrow money to buy more land. After the war, there was no need for the produce so the farmers could
not pay the creditors back. The merchants wanted the taxes to be higher so it would be easier for them to pay for war damages. Most of the
people who owed money where poor Revolutionary War veterans that could not pay. When the debit was not paid, the government would take
their lands and sell them off at auction. Some would also be thrown in debtor's jail. After the war, Shays went back home to farm with his wife. He
wanted to settle down and live out the rest of his days. Shays also had a problem with theses debts and could not pay them. The war bonds they
received after the war were worth nothing. Shays ended up selling the sword he was awarded so he could still have a place to live and feed his
family. Shays soon got tired of this and spoke at a tavern. He explained his plan to shut down the courts so they would not have to pay the debts. He
would soon become the spark the people needed to fight

Shays Rebellion Dbq

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Shays Rebellion Dbq