Compare And Contrast Letter To Shay's Rebellion

After the war, America was a chaotic place. Although there was the Article of Confederation, America’s system of government was incomplete. A lot of problems existed and people were revolting. Of all those revolts, two were significant, the Shay’s Rebellion and the Whiskey Rebellion. The Shay’s Rebellion happened in 1786, when there was an economy crisis and the local courts started to shut down the farms. The Whiskey Rebellion happened in 1791, when the government imposed taxes on the whiskey. Although both of the revolts were crashed down, they changed the government. After the Whiskey and the Shay’s Rebellion, people promoted a stronger federal government, precedent of obeying the law was set and it had shown that the executive would act to execute the law.

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

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

Following the American Revolution, the American nation and states were faced with enormous amounts of debt. To resolve the economic hardships the new nation had been experiencing, leaders turned to taxation as a source of income to resolve debts. Those who lived in the backcountry, which was isolated from society, were often shocked by the newly imposed taxes and most times resented them. Their resentment in relation to the taxes sparked protests and led to large scale rebellions to express their grievances to the government. Both Shay's rebellion and the Whiskey Rebellion were similar in their causes and purpose but they differed in consequences and their significance.

The Articles of Confederation was a loose “league of friendship” between the thirteen colonies that would create a confederation in contrast to Great Britain 's unitary system. While the Articles of Confederation helped establish a systemic role in trying to unify many of the states under a weak central government, it later created many more problems than solutions. One of them being that Congress had no ability to propose taxes to deal with war debts and running the government. Another weakness was that Congress did not have the ability to regulate commerce among states and foreign nations which hurt Congress’s credibility. One of the most considerable weaknesses of Congress under the Articles of Confederation was its failure to provide for a strong central government. The Articles of Confederation was created to not compare with the totalitarian regime of the British and made sure of not creating a strong central government. The problem was that without a strong central government it eliminated all sovereignty that the central government had, giving increased sovereignty to states which lead to increased chaos. It is seen that Shays Rebellion was that nail in the coffin of The Articles. Lead by David Shay a group of farmers who had served in the Continental Army marched to Springfield, Massachusetts to stop the state court from foreclosing on the veterans farms. Congress’s failure in being able to formulate a militia and stop the disgruntled farmers was the end of The

Daniel Shays’ participated in wars early on in his life, but eventually settled in Pelham, Massachusetts, and owned about 250 acres of farmland. Continued financial difficulties from the war led Shays to sell over half the farmland, and later being sued for unpaid debts and had much difficulty in meeting his obligations. A prodigious amount of farmers in Massachusetts during this time were going through similar financial hardships; because of the Massachusetts legislature attempting to pay off its state’s war debts, they used hard taxation policies, causing situations to become worse. People petitioned for better relief and reforms but none came, the legislature in Massachusetts ignoring the fact that their citizens are petitioning and sending them resolutions to fix this problem. This led to the rebellion of the farmers against the government: Shays’ Rebellion.

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

The Articles of Confederation was ratified on March 1, 1781. It limited Congress’s influence and power over the colonies, but allowed them to manage foreign relations or Indian affairs, coin money, maintain a postal service and as a last solution, intervene with any disputes between the states. After the Revolution, Americans wanted to avoid tyrannical or monarchy government, therefore letting each state rule over themselves would eliminate having to report to higher authorities, however this caused disorganization and no one or government to lead the states. The states believed in “a firm league of friendship”, never came true as each state would compete with other to increase their population, wealth and land. However, the most important fact about the Articles of Confederation is that it harmed America more than it help it as it kept the states separated. Without a plan, goal or a common purpose, the colonies fell apart, fighting for self glorification and improving themselves, instead of helping each other. Furthermore, the Articles of Confederation failed to address on the restoration of America, such as paying war debts and when “The Requisition of 1785”, was implemented, people protested by starting riots and states capitol printed more paper money than there was gold, thus liquidating the value of the dollar. This leads to an event that caused a turning point in the restoration of American during the 18th century, “Shays Rebellion”.

With the end of the French and Indian War came an influx of new taxes on the British American colonies. Beginning with the Proclamation Line of 1763, resentment of Parliament grew. Where colonists had once been proud Britons, and enjoyed “the British system of government—with its limited government and respect for the rights of the individual”, many now were frustrated and felt crushed under the boot of tyranny (Document 3). These are sentiments that drive the narrative of the Revolutionary War today; most non-historians see the war for independence as an organized rebellion of a united people against an oppressive, tyrannical government. Evidence suggests, however, that the Founding Fathers overstated the “death, desolation, and tyranny” they

Daniel Shays’ rebellion consisted of the angry farmers who were being over taxed to the point of homelessness they had marched on to the continental stores to show their mistreatment (shaysrebellion.stcc.edu). The main point to the march was to oppose the taxing of the farmers’ needs so heavily. The farmers had been subjected to high taxes and, when they failed to pay, lawsuits were given to them (shaysrebellion.stcc). After having to endure the unfair treatment the farmers decided to attempt to make the government see their faults and change the balance of power over to the central government instead of the states. After Shays’ Rebellion, Washington wrote to Madison describing the current state of the nation and the chaos unfolding (Washington). Washington saw the disorderly conduct The Articles of Confederation have caused. The economy had suffered as well as the people and he sought a way to improve the unity of the nation. Not only did the lack of strength in the government become a reason to abolish The Articles of Confederation, but the lack of funds also had a

“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.

As territorial expansion continued, the inability of the Articles of Confederation to control even a small state like Rhode Island narrowed their chances to control the entire new nation. Rhode Island had the option “to reject the recommendation of Congress” (Doc A), seemingly giving all states the right to ignore Congress’ commands. The other way around, when discussing the American army, the Congress had “the inability… to pay their demands” (Doc C). Without the ability to fulfil a citizen’s requests, the states were left to control themselves independently. Additionally, the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation meant “that the better kind of people… will be led by the insecurity of property, the loss of confidence in their rulers, and the want of public faith and rectitude” (Doc G). The Articles of Confederation couldn’t hold any power in the states, couldn’t fulfil states’ requests, and people would lose confidence in the government’s ability to maintain the society. This absence of government connection to both the states and the people forced the farming class towards what was known as Shays’ Rebellion. Due to a lack of central government, each state could tax the crop exchange between states, as well as issue their own currency. Farmers of western Massachusetts were tired of the state lacking these important aspects, and rebelled despite the rebellion’s imminent downfall. Although seemingly unsuccessful, the rebellion proved the faults in the Articles of Confederation. Civic virtue, which was supposed to drive the new nation, was insufficient. Finally, the split between the Articles of Confederation and the states directly influenced the split in political parties. While the Federalists believed the strong central government would help secure

As Document 1 states, legislative rule under the Articles lacked a national court system as well as the power to enforce treaties, raise an army and collect taxes (Doc 2). Stemming from post-war urgency, the Articles reflected the nation’s concern about executive power; however, the lack of an executive meant the lack of effective leadership. Congress had no authority to raise an army on its own and had to requisition troops from the states. Major policy issues required the approval of nine states. Secondly, the United States had accumulated an immense amount of debt that eventually led to a financial crisis. Of course, the country had not developed a centralized government strong enough to combat this obstacle. As a result, high taxes, debt collection as well as other financial strains ravaged the people of the United States, and had a monumental negative effect on lower classes. In Massachusetts, the government refused to print its own money to cover debts, choosing instead to heavily tax its citizens. Many uprisings occurred as a result, namely Shays’ Rebellion. Led by Daniel Shays in response to high taxes and stringent economic conditions, the rebellion was a crucial argument calling for the need for a more centralized government, and urged the question of whether the governments formed under the Articles of Confederation could

The political weakness of the government lead to scarring consequences, a well known example being Shays Rebellion of 1787. Shays Rebellion involved the small town farmers and low status colonists who rebelled against heavy taxation and crushing debts, lead by farmer Daniel Shays himself. Not only did the Articles of Confederation's binding terms enrage the poor, but they also caused discontent among the 'nobility' of the United States: the wealthy aristocrats. A letter from John Jay to George Washington, both of whom fell into this social class, expressed this concern that "the better kind of people [the aristocracy] will be lead by...insecurity" to a "loss of confidence in their rulers" (Doc G). Essentially, Jay was concerned that wealthy people would demand a return to monarchy.

From 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation did not provide the United States with an effective government. This is due to the following three reasons: The United States’ lack of an army, nonexistent judicial branch, and surplus of power to the states. After the American Revolution concluded, thousands of soldiers returned home to find little or nothing left. Financial support the government had promised the soldiers with after the war was no longer available due to the inability of the central government to collect taxes as stated in the Articles (Doc. C). This later resulted in Shays’ Rebellion, a march led by Daniel Shays in western Massachusetts during January of 1787.