Shays rebellion
- Daniel Shays' parents emigrated to Massachusetts from Ireland around 1730. Others that knew him praised him saying he was a smart of a hardworking laborer. In 1772, at the age of 25 Daniel Shays married Abigail Gilbert in the town of Brookfield Massachusetts. He joined the Brookfield militia but when he moved to Shutesbury in 1774 he then joined the militia there and was given the rank of Sergeant.
He quickly gained the title of Lieutenant Daniel Shays in the continental army and fought at the battles of Bunker Hill and Ticonderoga, and In 1777 he began serving as a captain in the army although he did not receive his commission until 1779. He then took his company to the battle of Saratoga where he helped combat Burgoyne's British invasion. Shays was honored for his hard work and received a ceremonial sword form General Lafayette, but unable to keep up with his fincial burdens he sold the sword and after heavy criticism retired form his service. At the end of the war he was living in Pelham Massachusetts.-(Springfield Technical Community College)
He quickly gained the title of Lieutenant Daniel Shays in the continental army and fought at the battles of Bunker Hill and Ticonderoga, and In 1777 he began serving as a captain in the army although he did not receive his commission until 1779. He then took his company to the battle of Saratoga where he helped combat Burgoyne's British invasion. Shays was honored for his hard work and received a ceremonial sword form General Lafayette, but unable to keep up with his fincial burdens he sold the sword and after heavy criticism retired form his service. At the end of the war he was living in Pelham Massachusetts.-(Springfield Technical Community College)
Daniel Shays was a prominent member of the community in Pelham because of his distinguished military career. At one point he became a wealthy landowner but due to the post-war economical recession he was forced to sell the majority of his land. The state government of Massachusetts had a huge war debt and to pay it off established a brutal tax policy despite the fact that many were suffering already. The State demanded that the taxes be paid in gold and silver or hard money, not in paper currency or goods. Most farmers had very little hard money and towns all across Massachusetts petitioned to State for debtor relief, lower court fees, and lower Government employee's wages. They also failed to pay the promised pensions for veterans from he revolutionary war.
The State Government of Massachusetts, or the General court refused to listen to their pleas, and in response the farmers of Massachusetts organized into the Regulators and refused to permit anyone to enter the courts. Daniel Shays assumed leadership of the Regulators, and tried to keep everything peaceful by negotiating the needs of the people, but the tensions increased still when the regulators forced the Supreme Judicial Court in Springfield closed. The Governor of Massachusetts, James Bowdoin organized a militia to force open the courts and disperse the rebels. He did so through private funders because the congress was unable to raise levy taxes and raise funds to support an army for him. Shays Regulators and the Militia confronted each other in front of the court house and began to contemplate their course of action. "The militia and the Regulators agreed to "go home friendly" following the closing of the Springfield Supreme Judicial Court, but ugly confrontations at courthouses across the state continued throughout the fall and winter"(Springfield Technical Community College). The Governor's Miltia then arrested and wounded the suspected instigator of the rebellion job Shattuck, but in the process had hurt innocent bystanders. This was the final straw for the Regualtors who took up arms in greater numbers than before.-(Springfield Technical Community College)
The State Government of Massachusetts, or the General court refused to listen to their pleas, and in response the farmers of Massachusetts organized into the Regulators and refused to permit anyone to enter the courts. Daniel Shays assumed leadership of the Regulators, and tried to keep everything peaceful by negotiating the needs of the people, but the tensions increased still when the regulators forced the Supreme Judicial Court in Springfield closed. The Governor of Massachusetts, James Bowdoin organized a militia to force open the courts and disperse the rebels. He did so through private funders because the congress was unable to raise levy taxes and raise funds to support an army for him. Shays Regulators and the Militia confronted each other in front of the court house and began to contemplate their course of action. "The militia and the Regulators agreed to "go home friendly" following the closing of the Springfield Supreme Judicial Court, but ugly confrontations at courthouses across the state continued throughout the fall and winter"(Springfield Technical Community College). The Governor's Miltia then arrested and wounded the suspected instigator of the rebellion job Shattuck, but in the process had hurt innocent bystanders. This was the final straw for the Regualtors who took up arms in greater numbers than before.-(Springfield Technical Community College)
Attack on Arsenal
Daniel shays continued to try peace negotiations with the state claiming he was "Unwilling to be any way accessary to the shedding of blood, and greatly desirous of restoring peace and harmony to this convulsed Commonwealth"(Daniel Shays in Ushistory.org.). But he still sought to gain more negotiating power for the Regulators. To secure this power he and the other Regulator leaders agreed to storm the Springfield Arsenal on January 25, 1787. The Militia had foreseen this action and was now protecting the arsenal form their attack but the Regulators continued to march closer and closer to the Arsenal. The Massachusetts Militia opened cannon fire on Shays columns and they immediately dissolved in full retreat, the rebellion was defeated. After sometime the situation diffused and the regulators were given pardon's, and the spotlight shifted form the rebellion ot the problem that had caused it, the Articles of Confederation. Many delegates who had previously voted against the new constitution had now begun to consider the Constitution as a solution to the instability of the nation. -(Springfield Technical Community College)
After effect Of Shays' REbellion
Thomas Jefferson saw Shays Rebellion as a positive thing as it allowed the nation to realize how bad of shape the present Government was. "Hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical"(Jefferson to Madison). Jefferson here is explaining how sometimes it is beneficial for a government to receive criticism from their people, and it is okay if the protest become violent if that is the only way to get the political leaders to listen. He then goes o to explain how the United States can not persecute the rebels unnecessarily or it could be seen as a violation of their rights. Jefferson does this to illustrate how Shays' rebellion has catapulted forward the formation of the nation uniting the states even more.
The main cause of the Shays' rebellion was the lack of a strong central government. Without the central government the State of Massachusetts was able to decide for itself what currency was the standard, which it choose to be silver and gold. A national Government would have been able to avoid this problem by creating a universal paper currency, and set tax limits throughout the thirteen states. It also allowed tons of Americans to realize that a centralized Government would be able to much better maintain political stability which would be necessary for a strong united states.
The main cause of the Shays' rebellion was the lack of a strong central government. Without the central government the State of Massachusetts was able to decide for itself what currency was the standard, which it choose to be silver and gold. A national Government would have been able to avoid this problem by creating a universal paper currency, and set tax limits throughout the thirteen states. It also allowed tons of Americans to realize that a centralized Government would be able to much better maintain political stability which would be necessary for a strong united states.