Shays' Rebellion in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787 shocked the wealthy and political elite and highlighted problems with the government under the Articles of Confederation. Daniel Shays led an armed uprising of farmers who could not pay their taxes due to economic hardship. The rebellion demonstrated that the national government under the Articles lacked the power to provide security or regulate interstate commerce. As a result, many felt the Articles needed to be replaced with a new constitution that established a stronger federal government.
4. Shays’ Rebellion
• Daniel Shays
• 1786 & 1787
• Soldier fought in Bunker
Hill and Saratoga
• Was going broke from
taxes
5. Massachusetts
• Like many states,
• Was in an economic depression
Taxing its people to pay off the war debt
Farmers could not pay taxes
Farmers going broke
Faced losing their farms
6.
7. Rebellion
Daniel Shays and a mob protested in 1786
This was shut down by the Governor.
4 Months later, in January 1787
Shays organized again
19. congress
noun
1 the national legislative body of a country.
• ( Congress) the national legislative body of the U.S., meeting at the
Capitol in Washington, DC. It was established by the Constitution of
1787 and is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives :
changes in taxation required the approval of Congress.
• a particular session of the U.S. Congress : the 104th Congress.
2 a formal meeting or series of meetings for discussion between delegates,
esp. those from a political party or trade union or from within a particular
discipline : an international congress of mathematicians.
3 a society or organization, esp. a political one : the National Congress of
American Indians.