US History

Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s)

Law and Government

This collection uses primary sources to explore Shays&#39; Rebellion.

An 1811 atlas with the first map of the state of Massachusetts, originally published in 1795. 

An 1826 map of Springfield, including the Armory. 

A photograph of the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts. 

An 1884 illustration from *Harper’s Magazine*, “Shays's mob in possession of a court-house.” 

An act disqualifying Massachusetts residents who had participated in Shays’ Rebellion from serving as jurors, 1787. 

An illustration of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. 

The Articles of Confederation, ratified in 1781. 

Voting Record of the Constitutional Convention, 1787. 

A portrait of Major General Benjamin Lincoln, a supporter of the Constitution who led a militia to suppress Shays' Rebellion. 

An excerpt from *The History of the Insurrections, in Massachusetts, in the Year MDCCLXXXVI : and the Rebellion Consequent Thereon* (1788). 

An excerpt from a 1786 address issued by the general court of Massachusetts “to the people of the commonwealth of Massachusetts.” 

Questions

1. Using the [1884 illustration](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/shays-rebellion/sources/735), explain how the Shaysites are depicted in comparison to the law-makers. What are some ways the illustrator’s choices, such as character detail and perspective, reinforce differences? How does this drawing tap into broader ideas about the government and its roles that were at the heart of the rebellion?
2. Why do you think [an act](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/shays-rebellion/sources/736) prohibiting rebels from serving on a jury was of particular importance? In what ways does this act reflect the broader issues of the rebellion? 
3. Compare the excerpts from [Minot’s book](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/shays-rebellion/sources/741) and from the [address of the general court](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/shays-rebellion/sources/742). How does each describe the debt crisis? Where is the blame for the crisis placed? Is there a call to action? If so, what? 
4. How did the Shaysites’ rebellion and their motives for rebellion impact the creation of the Constitution? Use the items in this set to illustrate your answer.

Activity

Have students craft a brief address (similar to the statements in [Minot’s book](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/shays-rebellion/sources/741) and the [address of the general court](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/shays-rebellion/sources/742)) either supporting or opposing the rebellion, from the perspective of a common citizen or a member of the Massachusetts elite. What arguments could students make to appeal to Massachusetts residents? What other ideas might residents have about the roles and responsibilities of the government? Of citizens? Students can use the other items in this set to help illustrate their statement. 

Teaching Guide: Exploring Shays’ Rebellion

Resources

1. [Shays’ Rebellion and the Making of a Nation](http://shaysrebellion.stcc.edu/), Springfield Technical Community College. 
2. [“This Convulsed Commonwealth”: Daniel Shays Attempts to Call a Truce during Shays’ Rebellion, the Agrarian Revolt Named for Him](http://www.masshist.org/object-of-the-month/may-2013), Massachusetts Historical Society. 
3. [Shays' Rebellion](http://www.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/shays-rebellion/), George Washington’s Mount Vernon. 

Overview

Post-Revolutionary-War America faced obstacles as its people worked to establish the new republic. In New England, merchants and farmers struggled to maintain their businesses in a new economy without established European trade or credit lines. In August 1786, tensions culminated in what is now known as Shays’ Rebellion, an uprising in Massachusetts that lasted until the summer of 1787. Led by Daniel Shays, the rebel “Shaysites” of Western Massachusetts tried to rise up against what they considered to be an oppressive tax system and political corruption. “Shaysites” felt that eastern Massachusetts elites were ignoring issues that affected the lower classes. The rebellion ultimately helped shape the content of the United States Constitution, which was created shortly after the end of the uprising and ratified on June 21, 1788. This collection of illustrations, documents, and texts help give a new perspective on the rebellion and its impact. 

English

Shays' Rebellion

shays-rebellion_02_528f57fd5d150414df040de421417844.jpg

Courtesy of Boston Public Library via Digital Commonwealth.

Bowles, Samuel, “Springfield: surveyed by direction of the town 1826,” Digital Public Library of America, https://dp.la/item/528f57fd5d150414df040de421417844.

An 1826 map of Springfield, including the Armory.

Cite this item

Tips for Students

Item 2 of 11 in the Primary Source Set Shays' Rebellion