We Need a Stronger Government!
We MUST stop rebellion and regain order!
By: Eric Freeman
Shays’ Rebellion was caused by the weak economy after the Revolutionary War and proved that a stronger national government that did not bury their citizens in taxes was necessary for a country to thrive.
We need to ensure that an event like Shays' Rebellion won't happen again
After the War
Background on Daniel Shays
During the Rebellion
The Need For A Stronger Government
Research Log
1. Source:
"Shays’ Rebellion." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
Summary/ How it relates to the project:
This article is from History.com which is a very reputable website and it has lots of information about the cause and effect of Shays’ Rebellion. No author was given, but the History Channel is very reputable. It explains how the rebellion startled politicians around the nation and made them feel threatened. The rebellion also proved that there must have been a revision or complete restructure of the Articles of Confederation. Shays’ Rebellion was also mentioned in debates about changing and ratifying the Constitution.
2. Source:
Letter Citation
Jefferson, Thomas. Letter to William Smith. 13 Nov. 1787. Library of Congress. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
Website Citation
"Thomas Jefferson to William Smith." Library of Congress. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
Summary/ How it relates to the project:
This letter was written by Thomas Jefferson and sent to William Smith. This is a primary source as it came directly from Jefferson. He explained how although there was a rebellion, every country has those and it was normal. Thomas Jefferson was defending the farmers after the rebellion as he said “they were founded in ignorance, not wickedness.” He tried defending them and not accusing them of being bad people. He also added that if a country had 20 years without a rebellion, it wouldn’t be normal.
3. Source:
"Shays' Rebellion." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, 2010. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
Summary/ How it relates to the project:
This article was written by the Independence Hall Association. Ushistory.org is a reputable source which I have used for many other projects. This article explains the main causes of Shays’ Rebellion. These were that the farmers could not pay their debt and then were forced to give up their farms. This greatly angered the farmers because some farmers only had their farms. Some farmers who were angry also organized meetings to debate about the issues happening and try to find a solution. James Bowdoin brought together a militia to defend against the rebellion. Although Bowdoin did defend against the rebels, many people did not vote for him in the next election.
4. Source:
Gale Encyclopedia of US History. "Shays' Rebellion." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 01 Jan. 2000. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
Summary/ How it relates to the project:
This source is an article published on a website by the Gale Encyclopedia of US History. The Gale Group is a credible source that is also a database that we use. In the last paragraph of the article, it explains the long term effects of Shays’ Rebellion. The major effect that Shays’ Rebellion had on Massachusetts was that governor Bowdoin was not reelected in the next election. After many people were not chosen by the people in the next election, the new government started working to fix the reasons why Shays’ Rebellion happened. “Shays’ Rebellion also helped convince thousands of Americans in Massachusetts and other states of the need for a strong national government, which could stabilize the currency, control and levy taxes, and maintain public order.” (Gale 1 January 2000). These big changes helped the ratification of the constitution.
5. Source:
"Shays' Rebellion." Shays' Rebellion. Springfield Technical Community College, 2008. Web. 19 Jan. 2016.
Summary/ How it relates to the project:
This source includes timelines, maps, essays, people, and artifacts relating to Shays’ Rebellion. It is from Springfield Technical Community College and has a .edu domain which also helps with its reputability. I can use the timeline to explain different events that happened after the physical rebellion. I can also use events leading up to the rebellion to explain why it happened. Using the historic scenes tab, I can visualize how the events took place. I can use the descriptions of the people to gain an understanding of how they reacted to the situation.
6. Source:
"Daniel Shays." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2016. Web. 19 Jan. 2016.
Summary/ How it relates to the project:
This source is from the ABC-CLIO database which is a very credible source. This article is a biography of Daniel Shays’ life. Shays was the one who led the rebellion against the court when his farm was in danger of being taken away. Along with about 2,500 men, he marched to the court in Springfield, Massachusetts and tried to prevent the court meeting from occurring which would take away their farms and imprison those who were in debt. After his acts were seen as a rebellion, the conflict greatly escalated. He seized an arsenal with Luke Day, but their communications were interrupted. They were met at the arsenal with forces led by General Benjamin Lincoln. Shays and his rebels were defeated at the arsenal. As a wanted criminal, Shays was sentenced to death if he was caught. In the next year, he negotiated against death and went back to Massachusetts. He died in Sparta, New York on September 29, 1825.
7. Source:
"Benjamin Lincoln: letter on Shays' Rebellion (1787)." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2016. Web. 19 Jan. 2016.
Summary/ How it relates to the project:
This source is also from the ABC-CLIO database which is a reputable source. The source contains a letter written by General Benjamin Lincoln who met Shays, Day, and their rebels at the arsenal. Lincoln and his troops exchanged fire but ultimately defeated the rebels. Lincoln explained what he thought their attacks meant. He realized that it was the first threat to the newly founded government. Since this rebellion was serious, he knew that the government needed to be fixed. He felt that the rebellion was insulting to the government. General Benjamin Lincoln also explained the many orders that he received leading up to meeting the rebels. He had lots of preparation leading up to the battle to ensure that they wouldn’t allow the rebels to seize the arsenal.