Shay’s Rebellion Research Overview by Difan Li

 Shay’s Rebellion Research Overview by Difan Li

Shay’s Rebellion is often cited as the clearest example of the effects of the American Revolution and the weakness in the newly formed Articles of Confederation. The event had several different causes. After the American Revolution, the U.S. was heavily in debt and the people began to suffer, most notably the lower class farmers. Armies would take supplies from local farms, leaving the farmers with great losses. After the Articles of Confederation were established, the citizens, including these farmers and workers who had already faced lack of money and difficult times, were taxed and forced to pay even more. Some of these farmers had fought in the Revolution and viewed these taxes as unfair, as they had neither been acknowledged nor repaid for their efforts during the war. These economic struggles led to anger and resentment with the government. Another major cause of the rebellion was that, in Massachusetts, people were punished with several years of prison if they did not pay back their debts. However, in other states, farmers and those in debt did not face the same severe treatment. While laws were passed in other states that would help reduce economic strain on the debtors, no such laws were passed in Massachusetts. Local sheriffs often seized the property of farmers when debts went unpaid. In the eyes of the Massachusetts farmers, they were receiving much poorer treatment compared to those in other states, another example of unfairness and another component that fueled the citizens’ anger. Both the economic struggle and lack of protection by the government were major causes of Shay’s Rebellion and an indicator of why this event took place in Massachusetts. 

Works Cited

ushistory.org. “The Economic Crisis of the 1780s.” Www.ushistory.org, //www.ushistory.org/us/14d.asp.