ipl-logo

Examples Of Shaysite Grievances

626 Words3 Pages

What took place in Massachusetts during the years 1786 through 1787 shocked many. Shays’ Rebellion is directly linked to the high taxes and call for debt collection imposed by the government after the American Revolution (Danver 207). A group of newly settled farmers lead by a veteran of the Revolution, Daniel Shays, band together in hopes of changing the future; in hopes of living in a world without the economic injustices they were facing. It even wound up getting the attention of George Washington who stated that the rebellion played an integral role in his decision to attend the Philadelphia Convention (Danver 215). In a letter addressed to General Henry Knox, George Washington expressed his complete and utter shock regarding the recent uprising. He stated, “I feel, my dear Genl. Knox, infinitely more than I can express to you, for the disorders which have arisen in these States. Good God! who besides a tory could have foreseen, or a Briton predicted them!”. As this quote suggests, he did not see a protest as such taking place in the unforeseen future. Although the letter evidently conveys Washington's alarm, he does not seem to bring into context any reasons for which he believes prompted these men to fight so passionately. As mentioned by Aria & Cody in their presentation, …show more content…

He addresses the letter to “the People of the Several towns in the County of Hampshire” and explains that he serves to inform them of the reasons behind both the recent and current uprisings (Gray). In the document he mentions the economic disadvantages they are being hindered by and the “Suspension of the writ of Habeas Corpes”, bringing forth his belief that people are being unlawfully arrested. The source is obviously partial to the Shaysites side and seems to be attempting to rally supporters for their

Show More
Related

  • Shays Rebellion Research Paper

    270 Words  | 2 Pages

    Last night on February 4, 1787, General Benjamin Lincoln attacked members of the Shays’ Rebellion, and successfully captured 150 of the rebels. As a result, Daniel Shays left Massachusetts and fled to Vermont. Shays Rebellion was an armed rebellion consisting of 1,200 angry farmers from Massachusetts. They caused major chaos in this state. On December 26, 1786 Daniel Shays and the rebels revolted in Springfield, Massachusetts insisting that the state legislature address their issues, such as lack of money.

    Read More

  • Daniel Shays: Heroic Military Service In The Continental Army

    961 Words  | 4 Pages

    They all had an immense amount of debt due to the government not paying the veterans, and the taxes being increased for farming. This led to Daniel Shays becoming one of the numerous leaders of the rebellions. At first they tried to change the laws peacefully by having a petition for them stating that the veterans and farmers were being treated unfairly because these new laws, guidelines, and new legislature rules (legislature was controlled by merchant interest). Therefore since the legislature was controlled by eastern merchant interest the petitions were declined which caused even more issues for the veterans and farmers. Protests began to increase tremendously, in August 1786 the legislature was going to have a court meeting considering the many petitions against the rebellions, but Shays had formed a protest that marched to the courthouse and prevented them from having the court sitting.

    Read More

  • Shays Rebellion Research Paper

    348 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people tend to believe the end of the Revolutionary War meant the end of all problems in America, but that was not the case. The return to a normal lifestyle after the war was long-awaited and anticipated by just about everyone, as soldiers were reunited with their families and people once again had access to all the things made unavailable during wartime. This boom in morale and economics was however, short lived as the newly established government was faced with paying off the debts to other countries and the soldier who risked their lives for years. This sent many men and their families into debt. In response, veterans joined daniel Shays in a rebellion, known as Shays’s Rebellion, to protect the veterans being punished for not being

    Read More

  • Articles Of Confederation Dbq

    161 Words  | 1 Pages

    America had just won the revolutionary war and became a free nation. Their constitution, the Articles of Confederation had many problems. Many farmer colonists felt like America was just another form of England with high taxes and unfair laws. Eventually, the depression was so bad the colonist got fed up and started to devise a plan. Daniel Shays was the leader of planning the rebellion.

    Read More

  • Thomas Jefferson Modern Day Protest Analysis

    155 Words  | 1 Pages

    Thomas Jefferson will support modern day protest because of his beliefs on how a government should act. According to the Declaration of Independence Jefferson does not like having a King or a strong central government, "He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly...". Later, in 1787 Shay's Rebellion took place in Massachusetts, Jefferson responded in a letter saying that it was good to rebel. According to the letter, "Let the people take arms.". Also, Jefferson's letter stated that he worries the Constitutional Convention will write a new Constitution.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Shays Rebellion And Whiskey Rebellion

    559 Words  | 3 Pages

    After the Articles of Confederation was passed, the national government was weak and began to introduce new taxes to the Nation. Massachusetts began to impose unfair taxes on farmers, because farmers were not cooperative to these new taxes the court seized their property and some farmers were even sent to jail. Then 1,000 armed men Shay and his army marched where all the states money and power was, Boston. After the rebellion some rebels were caught, tried, and hung. Others such as Shay were

    Read More

  • Theme Of 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America

    1669 Words  | 7 Pages

    On January 25, 1787, Daniel Shays led an army, consisting of farmers and veterans, to capture an arsenal in Boston. The purpose of this attack was to gear up and to stand up against the government. All these men in this army shared one common goal, to end the unfair taxes that were oppressing the middle class. When Shays’ army reached the arsenal, they were met by Shepard’s army that numbered 1,200 men. They moved closer and closer, despite the fact warning shots were fired and when the two armies reached face to face, Shephard’s army fired cannons into the middle of the rebellion and Shays’ small army broke ranks and ran away.

    Read More

  • Wilson Riots Of 1773

    1229 Words  | 5 Pages

    For example, conflicts between the rich and the poor, which have always existed throughout time in every country, still continued to exist in America after the American Revolution. As seen in the text on page 80, "In the midst of the war, in Philadelphia, which Eric Foner describes as ' a time of immense profits for some colonists and terrible hardships for others,' the inflation … led to agitation and calls for action. " Some of these calls for actions are known as the Fort Wilson Riot of 1779 and the mutinies in Morristown New Jersey, Trenton New Jersey, and Philadelphia. All of these different riots led to Shays' Rebellion, an event where a small farmer named Daniel Shays believed that he was being taxed unfairly by the government; therefore, he got together a bunch of men and petitioned the government to change or at least solve the farmers' needs. This rebellion was not something to be taken lightly, there were numerous deaths concerning the farmers involved.

    Read More

  • Articles Of Confederation And Tyranny Essay

    1514 Words  | 7 Pages

    Following the American Revolution, colonists faced the issue of creating a new form of government and order for their newly created country. Delegates from each state, excluding Rhode Island, met in Philidelphia in 1787 to draft the document that would come to be known as the Constitution. Representatives made it their purpose to create a government that would be fair for everyone; the North and South, the educated and uneducated, the rich and poor. After a closer examination of the Articles of Confederation, delegates disregarded the Articles, following the failure of their original form of government. The Articles of Confederation was thought of as a failure after Shay’s Rebellion; an act of dissent by Daniel Shay in which farmers lost their

    Read More

  • What Are The Articles Of Confederation Flawed

    520 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shay's Rebellion, the most prominent act of defiance toward federal authority, was a series of protests in 1786 and 1787 by American farmers throughout the states of New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Massachusetts against state and local governments of tax collections. Due to bad harvests, economic depression, and high taxes farmers faced the possibility of losing their farms. Although unsuccessful, the rebellion led by Daniel Shay, a former captain in the Continental army, alarmed politicians and ultimately called for a revision or replacement of the Articles of

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Henry's 'Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death'

    756 Words  | 4 Pages

    In 1775 the American Colonies stood at a tipping point. Britain and the Colonies had been embroiled in a continuing struggle over numerous injustices, and the Colonies seemed at long last situated to engage in a revolution against Britain. However, the colonial representatives were still tied up in negotiations with Britain, and many delegates of the Virginia Convention wanted to delay actions until the negotiations had concluded. Patrick Henry disagreed with the delay, so he addressed the Convention, arguing for the need to mobilize troops against the British, a request tantamount to treason. Instead of shying away from the polarizing nature of his argument, Henry adopted a respectful, but urgent, tone, crafting an argument that would inspire his audience into action.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis: Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death

    793 Words  | 4 Pages

    On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry is addressing the Virginia Convention, specifically President Peyton Randolph. He offers a solution to the patriots of Virginia to form a local militia in order to be ready to fight the British. Carrying a passionate and pleading tone, Henry urges to persuade the patriots

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Shays Rebellion And Whiskey Rebellion

    1002 Words  | 5 Pages

    This is because Shays rebellion took place because the poor farmers were fighting against the outrageous taxes which were leaving them without land and in prison with no means of supplying food for their families. In many states at the time if someone didn't have land they weren't able to vote because in the governments eyes they had no power. These taxes were taking away the farmers land which then also took away their right to vote which left them powerless and made their options pointless. Poor farmers ended up in jail which left their families out on the streets begging for money and a means to survive. Just like the whiskey rebellion farmers were left without a way to supply for their family because the demand of whiskey was way down after the government increase the tax by 25%.

    Read More

  • Apush Chapter 1 Key Terms Essay

    720 Words  | 3 Pages

    The causes of Shays’ Rebellion in 1786 were that farmers began to lose land because they could not pay their taxes. 6.b. Congress realized their flaws and began to fix them. 7.a. The New Jersey plan said that each state should have an equal number of representatives regardless of their population.

    Read More

  • Whiskey Rebellion Essay

    849 Words  | 4 Pages

    Daniel Shays, an american soldier and farmer organized over a thousand other farmers that followed him on a march to the Springfield Armory in attempt to prevent the Massachusetts Supreme Court from meeting. Even though Shays was defeated by the militia, the rebellion made it known that state and national governments could not stop violence from happening. An immediate effect of this rebellion was the Annapolis Convention. Shays’ Rebellion lead to the Annapolis Convention because a change needed to be made to the Articles to reduce sectional and political violence in America. While Shays’ Rebellion was not successful in its original purpose, it made the framers aware that a change needed to be made in order to further improve the

    Read More

More about Examples Of Shaysite Grievances

Open Document