1. Daniel Shays felt that he had the right to be protected from debt and decline. Why
did he believe the government was obligated to provide this protection?
2. Do you think it was significant that Daniel Shays was a Revolutionary war
veteran?
3. What were the major complaints of Shays and his followers? What do you think
they saw as the goals of the rebellion? Did these goals change over time?
Opening question:
· What political, economic, and social factors contributed to instability during The Critical Period?
The Critical Period
The Articles of Confederation loosely united the thirteen states under the authority of a single-house Congress, with no separate judicial or executive branch. While the Congress established a process for settling western territory and negotiated commercial treaties, the problems of a weak central government soon became apparent. Difficulties with foreign powers arose from Congress’s inability to collect taxes, enforce treaties, or regulate trade. Conflicts at home involved interstate trade, a weak currency, and a large national debt. In Massachusetts, Shays’s Rebellion caused some Americans to worry that their property rights were at risk because the government was too weak. As citizens deplored the acts of lawlessness, many people began to call for a stronger central government.
Shay's Rebellion
An uprising led by a former militia officer, Daniel Shays, which broke out in western Massachusetts in 1786. Shays's followers protested the foreclosures of farms for debt and briefly succeeded in shutting down the court system. Although the rebellion was easily overcome, it persuaded conservatives of the need for a strong national government and contributed to the movement to draft the Constitution.
Copy and answer in notes while watching video
1. Do you think most Americans would have agreed with Shays’ and his followers at the time of the rebellion? Do you think they would have approved of the way they addressed them?
2. Why was Shays’ Rebellion considered to be the United States’ first civil war?
3. Americans soon learned after the war that the Articles of Confederation were too weak. How did Shays’ Rebellion reveal these weaknesses?
4. What provisions were included in the Articles for a federal government? Did limiting the powers of the federal government negatively impact the nation’s development? Explain
unit_2_-_shays_lecture_burst.ppt |