Shays Rebellion

Why did Daniel Shays and other farmers rebel and start a fight in 1786?

• they were angry that the country didn't write a better Constitution

• they were in debt, their land was being taken and they were being thrown in prison

• they were angry that George Washington was leading the Congress

• None of the above

Why was Daniel Shays, a veteran and Massachusetts farmer, frustrated and angry?

• He wanted to be recognized for service to his country.

• Poor farmers were being taxed heavily by the national/federal government

• Poor farmers' land was being taxed heavily by Massachusetts lawmakers

Shays Rebellion helped people in the United States realize...

• that we needed a much stronger national (federal) government

• that the states needed more power

• that each state needed its own currency to trade

• that farmers were tough

What was Shays Rebellion?

• the first major armed rebellion in the post-Revolutionary United States

• The last colonial revolt against the British

• A nonviolent protest against the Massachusetts state government

• A revolt of merchants who thought federal taxes were too high

How did Shays Rebellion end?

• The rebels defeated the state army

• George Washington's army crushed the revolt

• A volunteer federal militia defeated the rebels

• Massachusetts State forces crushed the movement

What did Shays rebellion demonstrate?

• the weakness of state governments

• the extreme weakness of the national government

• the power of the Articles of Confederation

• the power of rebel groups

What did national leaders feel compelled to do after Shays Rebellion?

• Strengthen state governments

• Strengthen local governments

• Increase taxes to fund a national military

• Change or abolish the Articles of Confederation

Where was the crisis of the 1780s most intense?

• Rural Georgia

• Central Virginia

• Maryland

• central and western Massachusetts

What was the main cause of Shays Rebellion?

• Economic hardship and high taxes on farmers

• Disputes over state boundaries

• Opposition to the federal constitution

• Desire for independence from the United States

Who was the leader of Shays Rebellion?

• Daniel Shays

• George Washington

• Thomas Jefferson

• Alexander Hamilton