January 25, 1787
Shays' Rebellion
Key Terms:
Readings:
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Introduction:Though the American Revolution boldly established the formation of a new nation, how it would be organized and governed was a work in progress. In the wake of the Revolution, the Articles of Confederation set out guidelines for the federal government. Yet this loose authority and the lack of a single national leader left the nation vulnerable to faction and uprising. Meanwhile, many citizens who had risked their lives defeating the British were struggling under the weight of high taxes and the demand for cash currency as payment for goods and services. These citizens argued that they were being subjected to the same conditions the Revolution was fought to overturn. One of those disenchanted veterans was Daniel Shays, a Massachusetts farmer and former Continental Army captain. Facing the loss of his own farm, Shays organized a rebel army of over 1,000 followers which stormed a Springfield debtors court and arsenal, determined to attack and overthrow the government in Boston.
The drama of the Shays’ Rebellion is vividly captured in this one hour documentary. A truly unique History Channel production, Shays’ Rebellion: America’s 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 chapter in post-Revolutionary history. Though the rebellion was ultimately unsuccessful, it had profound results that changed America forever. In the wake of the Shays’ rebellion, the states moved quickly to hold a Constitutional Convention that eventually led to the drafting of the Constitution and later, the Bill of Rights. In many ways, it was Shays' Rebellion that persuaded General George Washington, who had retired after the war, to return to politics and accept the crucial role of the nation’s first president. |
The Assignment
Module Directions:
Start by watching the short documentary on Shays' Rebellion. Follow this by reading the assigned pages in the book. It is important for you to understand that the documentary and the book were created autonomous of one-another meaning that both of them use different sources and provide varying perspectives. Follow your consumption of the content by developing your understanding of the key terms outlined above. You will then answer each of the following guiding questions. It is recommended that you understand the questions before you start your reading.
Guiding Questions:
Primary Source Analysis:
The quotation below is an excerpt from the Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777 as an agreement between the states. This document served as the nation’s constitution until 1789 when the present day Constitution was adopted in 1787. Read this excerpt and briefly respond to the questions that follow.
Excerpt from the Articles of Confederation:
II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.
III. The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.
Start by watching the short documentary on Shays' Rebellion. Follow this by reading the assigned pages in the book. It is important for you to understand that the documentary and the book were created autonomous of one-another meaning that both of them use different sources and provide varying perspectives. Follow your consumption of the content by developing your understanding of the key terms outlined above. You will then answer each of the following guiding questions. It is recommended that you understand the questions before you start your reading.
Guiding Questions:
- Daniel Shays felt that he had the right to be protected from debt and decline. Why did he believe the government was obligated to provide this protection?
- Do you think it was significant that Daniel Shays was a Revolutionary war veteran? Discuss.
- What were the major complaints of Shays and his followers? What do you think they saw as the goals of the rebellion? Did these goals change over time?
- Do you think most Americans would have agreed with Shays’ and his followers at the time of the rebellion? Do you think they would have approved of the way they addressed them?
- Why was Shays’ Rebellion considered to be the United States’ first civil war?
- Americans soon learned after the war that the Articles of Confederation were too weak. How did Shays’ Rebellion reveal these weaknesses?
- What provisions were included in the Articles for a federal government? Did limiting the powers of the federal government negatively impact the nation’s development? Explain.
- What could have been included in the Articles to help the emerging nation recover from war?
- What role did Shays’ Rebellion play in the creation of the Constitution? If Shays’ Rebellion had been a peaceful protest, do you feel it would have had the same impact? Explain.
- What punishment did Shays and the lead rebels receive for their actions? Do you think their treatment was just? Discuss.
Primary Source Analysis:
The quotation below is an excerpt from the Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777 as an agreement between the states. This document served as the nation’s constitution until 1789 when the present day Constitution was adopted in 1787. Read this excerpt and briefly respond to the questions that follow.
Excerpt from the Articles of Confederation:
II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.
III. The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.
- How would you describe core ideas of each of these two statements from the Articles of Confederation? What do you think the authors of the Articles meant when they described the states as being in a “firm league of friendship”? Why was a stronger document ultimately important?
- Based on these statements, and what you have learned from this documentary, why do you think the founding fathers found it necessary to form a more formal Constitution?
Are You the Expert?
If this is one of the five events you have chosen to become an expert on, you will continue your experience with this module by completing the following.
Rhetorical Analysis of a Paired Reading:
Extended Historical Analysis:
Rhetorical Analysis of a Paired Reading:
Extended Historical Analysis: