From America's Beginnings: The Dramatic Events That Shaped a Nation's Character
by Tony Williams
© 2010 by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
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Shays’ Rebellion
I
ndependence did not bring prosperity to many parts of the United
States. Britain restricted American trade with the West Indies, which was
a critical part of the pre-war trade routes between Europe, Africa, and
the Americas and the Caribbean. Exports slumped while imports of British goods resulted in a shortage of specie. Paper money was virtually
worthless because of inflation. Meanwhile, taxes (especially on land)
were increasing in order to pay off the Revolutionary War debts.
New England in particular was in the throes of a postwar economic
depression. Farmers in western Massachusetts suffered greatly from a
credit crunch when their debts to eastern merchants and shopkeepers
were called in. When they were unable to pay the debts except in crops,
they were sued in local courts. These proud and independent yeoman
farmers lost their farms, ended up in debtors’ prisons, and paid higher
taxes than wealthy elites.
In the summer of 1786, farmers in the western counties met in conventions of the people, assembling peacefully to write petitions to the
Massachusetts General Court. They asked for a fairer tax system, relief
from debts through a tender (barter) system, an inflationary paper currency, a capital relocated away from the commercial interests in Boston,
and, most important, the abolition of the debtor courts. The eastern elites
defended their own interests and the sanctity of property and contracts.
The merchants even encouraged the farmers to live more frugally and
virtuously. ‘‘Industry, economy, and honest principles, with the aid of a
little patience and performance,’’ noted one merchant, would solve their
economic woes. Others disdainfully told the farmers to stop drinking so
much and buying so many luxuries.
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Since the eastern elites had summarily ignored their plight, the irate
farmers recalled the popular and violent resistance to tyranny of the
1760s. One farmer argued that the eastern interests were attempting to
‘‘drive out that hardy and independent spirit from among us, and forge
the chains for our liberties so strong, that the great exertions and convulsions will not break them.’’ Beginning in late August, the farmers converged on the county courts to shut down these symbols and engines of
their oppression. If the courts could not meet, they reasoned, the farmers
could not be sued for debts or lose their land. They held meetings in
local taverns and plotted their strategy.
On August 29, 1,500 armed and angry farmers marched on the
Northampton courthouse and closed it. On September 5, the court tried
to meet in Worcester, but 300 bayonet-wielding farmers blocked access
to the important officials they heckled. The rebels proceeded to shut
down courts in Middlesex, Plymouth, and Berkshire Counties over the
next month; the Massachusetts Supreme Court was also prevented from
meeting in Springfield by a crowd of 1,500 in late September. Governor
James Bowdoin was outraged. He attempted to call out the militia, but
many of its members refused to march against their neighbors and kinfolk, and some joined the rebels.
The response of the state and national government was swift and
severe. The Continental Congress resolved to raise 1,340 troops, but
there was little money and few recruits forthcoming from the states. The
General Court convened and passed several draconian laws to deal with
the crisis. On October 24, the Militia Act made it a crime to join with
‘‘any mutiny or sedition.’’ The crime was punishable by court-martial.
Four days later, the Riot Act prohibited twelve or more armed persons
from assembling and empowered sheriffs to kill rioters. Rioters could also
lose their lands, suffer a whipping with thirty-nine lashes, and be jailed.
On November 10, the writ of habeas corpus was suspended, authorizing
the roundup of suspected traitors. The government did offer a pardon to
draw rebels off the movement but few stepped forward to accept.
The courts were closed or recessed during October, and many of
the farmers returned home to harvest their crops. Another round of troubles began in November and December when courts in Worcester and
Springfield tried to re-open and were again forcibly closed. On January
4, 1787, with no national army forthcoming, Governor Bowdoin
decided to raise a private subscription army of 4,400 soldiers without legFrom America's Beginnings: The Dramatic Events That Shaped a Nation's Character
by Tony Williams
© 2010 by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
................. 17872$
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Shays’ Rebellion
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islative approval. As many as 150 wealthy individuals from the eastern
counties contributed funds to support the army under the leadership of
Revolutionary War general Benjamin Lincoln. It was to secure ‘‘system
and order’’ in the western Massachusetts countryside.
The rebellious farmers organized under the leadership of Daniel
Shays, a captain during the Revolution, and others. Their leaders called
on them to ‘‘immediately assemble in arms to support and maintain not
only their rights, but the lives and liberties of the people.’’ Ominously,
they announced their intention to smash the ‘‘tyrannical government in
Massachusetts.’’ They were guided by Revolutionary republican principle that they had every right to overthrow a tyrannical government and
replace it with one of their choosing. The Shaysites planned an assault
against the federal arsenal at Springfield, which housed thousands of muskets, barrels of gunpowder, shot, and other military stores. About 1,200
militiamen awaited the attack; Lincoln’s large army was defending the
Worcester court.
The rebel army of almost 2,000 men approached Springfield and
was divided into three regiments. The leaders planned a three-pronged
assault on January 25 but then postponed the attack for one day. The
letters informing the regiments of the delay were intercepted, and two of
the regiments proceeded with the attack as scheduled. On January 25,
1,500 Shaysites advanced on the arsenal slowly, trudging through fourfoot snow drifts and urged on by Shays. The defending militia fired
warning shots from their cannon over the heads of the insurgents,
‘‘humanely wishing to frighten them to lay down their arms.’’ When the
farmers kept coming, the militia fired grapeshot, which left four dead and
twenty others wounded. The farmers retreated. The battle for the arsenal
was over.
Other skirmishes were fought, but the rebellion was largely ended.
On February 4, the General Court declared a state of ‘‘open, unnatural,
unprovoked, and wicked rebellion,’’ granting the governor the power to
declare martial law and raise additional troops. Shays and other leaders
fled to Vermont and New York to escape prosecution, though thirteen
Shaysites were rounded up, tried, and sentenced to death. The governor
wisely pardoned them.
Shays’ Rebellion had dramatic effects on the minds of those nationalists who wanted to strengthen the national government. James Madison
believed that the insurrection gave ‘‘new proofs of the necessity of such
From America's Beginnings: The Dramatic Events That Shaped a Nation's Character
by Tony Williams
© 2010 by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
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a vigor in the general government as will be able to restore health to any
diseased part of the Federal Constitution.’’ The crisis seemed stark evidence of the weakness of the central government and provoked support
for the Philadelphia Convention meeting in May 1787. Washington,
who received exaggerated dire warnings from his friend, Henry Knox,
stated: ‘‘They exhibit a melancholy proof of what our transatlantic foe
have predicted . . . that mankind, left to themselves are unfit for their
own government. I am mortified beyond expression when I view the
clouds which have spread over the brightest morn that ever dawned
upon any country.’’
From America's Beginnings: The Dramatic Events That Shaped a Nation's Character
by Tony Williams
© 2010 by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
................. 17872$
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