Shays' Rebellion
T. Seay, BHS
How did Shay's Rebellion help lead
the U.S. to federalism?

Background:

Revolution is over

Articles of Confederation are the
government

European war investors demanding
repayment

Taxes
How did Shay's Rebellion help lead
the U.S. to federalism?
* Shays' Rebellion occurred in western
Massachusetts in Aug. 1786 to January 1787
* The Federalist Papers began appearing in NY
newspapers in October 1787, after the rebellion
How did Shay's Rebellion help lead
the U.S. to federalism?

Daniel Shays: veteran of American Revolution

Led hundreds of poor farmers

Protesting taxes and crippling war debt

In those days: debtor's prisons
How did Shay's Rebellion help lead
the U.S. to federalism?
Shays and his men tried to force courts in
Massachusetts to close and thus prevent them
from seizing the property of farmers

How did Shay's Rebellion help lead
the U.S. to federalism?
Rebels in Shays' “army” saw themselves as
upholding the spirit of the Revolution

How did Shay's Rebellion help lead
the U.S. to federalism?
Shays was charged with treason but was
acquitted

Then, he was given a veteran's pension. Died
many years later, in 1825, still convinced he had
acted in spirit of American Revolution

How did Shay's Rebellion help lead
the U.S. to federalism?
Think, research, pair, share: Find two other
people, and look (together) at the first three
articles of the Constitution. See if you can find
out which is the only crime defined in the
Constitution. Take 5 minutes, and be ready to
share.
