NAME_______________________________
Shay’s Rebellion
Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government (Congress) could not force individual states to provide
soldiers for a national army. In addition, Congress had no powers to regulate trade between states and as a result
individual states were poor and unable to pay war debt. The U.S government had no money after the Revolutionary War, so
soldiers were not paid. Daniel Shay was a captain in the war and was not paid. Shay had no money to maintain his farms
and he could not pay his debt to the bank. Farmers, who had been soldiers, were left with no money to run their farms.
Therefore, farmers borrowed from the banks. As a result, Farmers had a huge debt they could not re-pay. The courts took
their farms or sent them to jail. In August 1786, Shay, along with other farmers protested, took over the arsenal, and closed
the courts in Massachusetts. Farmers were protesting high taxes and heavy debt. Many began to fear that government
would be unable to protests. The governor sent the state militia to stop the protests, but many worried that the state militia
was not enough. As a result, leaders began thinking about strengthening the national government. When Massachusetts
had asked the national government to help put down the rebellion, Congress could offer little help.
CAUSE
Because] the U.S government had
no
money after the Revolutionary War,
Because]
Because] farmers were left with no
money to run their farms,
[Because]
[Because] Farmers had a huge debt
they
could not re-pay.
[Because]
[Because] farmers protested, took
over
the arsenal, and closed the courts.
[Because]
(Because)The governor sent the state
militia to stop the violence but many
worried that the state militia was not
enough.
EFFECT
(So)
Farmers, who had been soldiers, were
left
with no money to run their farms,
(As a result,) Farmers had a huge debt they
could not re-pay.
Farmers protested, took over the arsenal,
and closed the courts.
The governor sent the state militia to stop
the violence, but many worried that the
state militia was not enough
(As a result,)