How Did Daniel Shays Wrote The Constitution

Fisher Ames was one of the great founding fathers who helped start the United States of America. Although citizens today may not hear or know much about him he is as much a part of the history of this nation as other more known men such as Thomas Jefferson. Ames was a good man who did not want conflict and enjoyed the simple things in life. This is seen in the following quote: “…in his distaste for publick diversions, and his preference of simple pleasures” (Ames 1809, page ix). All in all, fisher Ames had an interesting background, important views on Christianity and the Bible and how they relate to government, as well as equally important views on government in general.

Shay’s rebellion was led by a man named Daniel Shay in 1787. This was an historic event that shaped history in its own way. This uprising began in Massachusetts in the year of 1786. Daniel shay was characterized and labeled as a rebel, traitor, and a coward. He was also considered a devoted nationalist and a decent military officer supporting America’s revolution. He dedicated over five years of his life in service of America`s government. He mobilized everyone who disagreed with his government’s actions during the time. Shay was able to lead a militia of over 2000 men. The militia was armed and willing and ready to burn down Boston. According to miller (71), Jefferson heard of the rebellion while in France but felt that it would not last long.

I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing”(Jefferson). This states that rebellions are good for keeping the government honest and strengthens the government by fixing its weaknesses. Jefferson acknowledges that rebellions are natural and necessary for a government. Finally Daniel Shays’ letter to General Lincoln provides clear evidence that Shays’ did not want to overthrow the government but to simply help it. Shays’ states, “ Every Person who has been acting or any way Aiding or Assisting in any of the Late Risings of the People May be Indemnified in their Persons and Properties untill the Seting of the Next General Court takes place; and no Person Be taken, Molested, or Injured, on Account of the above Sd Risings of the People untill

The March of the Paxton Boys, Regulator Movement, Shay’s rebellion, and the Whiskey rebellion were violent byproducts of young America’s struggle with democracy to express the people’s grievances in the eighteenth century, notably those who lived in the backcountries such as farmers.

Shay’s Rebellion was a movement where farmers created an army to try and stop the court from taking their land and leaving them in debt. This rebellion ended in the people deciding they wanted to form a new, stronger government. This stronger government would be capable of controlling the states whenever they threatened commercial property. Since the whole union formed together to help and support the farmers, this put a toll on Congress. Since Shay’s Rebellion occurred, the government has been much stronger and easier to work

There were many rebellions in the United States history, some peaceful and some violent. Shays' Rebellion in 1786 and the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794 are examples of two brutal rebellions that led to death of many innocent people. Rebellions can develop due to many conditions including unfair laws, unfair treatment, and a disagreement over a sensitive topic. The Shays' Rebellion showed the Articles of Confederation was too weak, while the Whiskey Rebellion proved the Constitution to be a strong framework of government.

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

8. Shay’s Rebellion- farmers in the central part of Massachusetts with the leader Daniel Shays seized the armory in Springfield, Massachusetts before the state militia put down the rebellion and executed several of the conspirators. Exposed the weakness of the American government under the old “articles of confederation” added urgency to the meeting in Philadelphia to replace articles with constitution. A bunch of farmers put a threat on government. See whiskey Rebellion 1794, the government was stronger with the constitution.

There were many founding fathers of the constitution. Men who significantly impacted and shaped our government. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin are a few. However, we will focus on Benjamin Franklin because he contributed a great amount to our government. The Declaration of Independence, American Revolution, and the creation of the Constitution are his contributions to the government.

Similarly, in Shay’s Rebellion, Yeoman farmers in Massachusetts, according to Abigail Adams’ letter to Thomas Jefferson, “were crying out for a paper currency, some for an equal distribution of property” (Doc G). Shay’s Rebellion symbolizes the economic troubles that the poor had to deal with.

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

When most people think of the founding fathers, they think of people such as George Washington. He was the leader of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first President of the United States of America. He was nicknamed “The Father of His Country” for his contributions and leadership during the American Revolution. Some could mention the second President of the United States, John Adams, who also led in persuading the Continental Congress to declare America’s independence from Great Britain, while others could also mention Thomas Jefferson, who was the third President of the United States and the author of the United States Constitution.

This outraged lower class farmers as they relied on the sale and production of whiskey as a medium of trade as well as a form of income. Shays Rebellion erupted from high state taxes that were needed to pay off war debts accumulated from the Revolutionary War, as well as lack of paper money. These excessive taxes made it impossible for farmers, such a Daniel Shay, to pay for their homes and they were forced to resort back to to sustenance farming in order to have enough to survive. In some cases, farmers had to sell of their possessions in order to pay these levies until they had nothing left, or they had to face

“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.