From the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution
SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events and key ideas that brought about the adoption and
implementation of the United States Constitution.
a.
Explain how weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Daniel Shays’ Rebellion led to a call for a
stronger central government.
Shay’s Rebellion
Directions: You are a reporter for the New England Star newspaper, and you have been sent to interview local
farmers who took part in Shay’s Rebellion. Your article should center around the issues of: 1. What was Shay’s
Rebellion, 2. Why was the rebellion important in opening the eyes of Americans in regards to the inability of the
Articles to affectively run the country.
Make sure that you interview a few farmers: who are they, why were they upset, what was happening to them,
what did they experience, what do they think about the inability of the Central government to protect their rights.
On a separate sheet of paper, draw an illustration of the rebellion.
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My Illustration of Shay’s Rebellion
Based on your understanding of Shay’s Rebellion, recreate the picture that would have appeared along with your
article in the New England Star
Explanation of Drawing
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How did Shay’s Rebellion convince delegates that a “Stronger” form of government was necessary?
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