rebellion rebellion armed uprising massachusetts springfield revolutionary war veteran led thousand rebels called rising perceived economic suspension civil rights including multiple notices massachusetts later attempt capture national weapons arsenal springfield rebellion met defeat militarily privately raised militia prompted numerous national leaders including george_washington came retirement deal issues raised rebellion stronger national government suppress future rebellions resulting according historian fundamentally altering course history rebellion took place political climate reform country governing document widely seen necessary events rebellion occurred called began widely seen affected debates shape new government shock rebellion drew retired general george_washington public life leading terms president exact nature consequence rebellion influence content constitution ratification debates continues subject historical discussion debate background rural parts new_england particularly hill towns central western massachusetts economy american revolutionary war little agriculture residents areas little way assets land goods services lean times farmers obtain goods credit suppliers local market towns paid times better economically developed coastal areas massachusetts bay fertile economy basically market economy driven activities wholesale merchants dealing europe west_indies north american coast surprisingly state government dominated merchant class revolutionary war ended european business partners massachusetts merchants refused extend lines credit insisted pay goods hard currency despite continent wide shortage currency merchants began demand local business partners including merchants operating market towns state interior merchants passed demand customers popular governor impose hard currency demands poorer refused actively prosecute collection taxes rural farming population generally unable meet demands merchants civil authorities individuals began lose land possessions unable fulfill debt tax obligations led strong tax collectors courts creditors obtained enforced tax collectors obtained authorizing property meeting convened farmer identified situation greatly abused obliged war loaded class rates town rates province rates continental rates rates pulled hauled collectors cattle sold worth great men going think time rise stop courts collectors lawyers financial issues fact veterans war received little pay war faced difficulty collecting pay owed state soldiers began organize protests oppressive economic conditions massachusetts revolution broke joined continental_army saw action battles lexington concord eventually wounded action resigned army unpaid went home find court debts soon realized inability pay debts began organizing debt relief early early protest government led organized residents physically prevent tax collectors work second larger scale protest took place central massachusetts town mob seized property confiscated local constable returned owners governor ordered sheriff suppress actions rural communities attempted use legislative process gain relief petitions proposals repeatedly submitted state legislature issue paper currency issues currency making possible meet obligations high values lower valued paper merchants opposed idea generally stood lose proposals result proposals repeatedly rejected governor accused anticipating trouble resigned citing health reasons early perennial loser earlier elections elected governor year matters severe stepped civil actions collect taxes legislature exacerbated situation additional property tax raise funds state portion foreign debt payments comparatively conservative commentators observed heavier people bear shutting courts protests rural massachusetts turned direct action august state legislature considering petitions sent boston august organized force formed successfully prevented county court sitting leaders later forces proclaimed seeking relief judicial processes people land possessions called reference movement north_carolina sought reform corrupt practices late september governor issued proclamation denouncing mob action took military measures planning militia response future actions court worcester shut similar action september county militia composed mainly men sympathetic refused turn governors neighboring states similar protests took place acted decisively calling militia hunt protests rhode_island matters resolved violence country party gained control legislature enacted measures forcing merchant trade debt instruments currency impact lost boston merchants especially held massachusetts notes participated action began active role uprising november firmly denied leaders september indicted leaders rebellion persons supreme judicial court scheduled meet springfield september luke day organized attempt shut anticipated local militia commander began gathering government supporting militia saturday court sit time court ready open men protecting springfield courthouse day able recruit similar number chose demonstrate exercising troops outside lines attempt seize building judges postponed hearings 28th hearing cases withdrew force grown men federal rumored target seizure activists protests concord successful shutting courts communities september october wrote october state bordering civil war courts larger towns cities able meet required protection militia called purpose boston resistance governor commanded legislature insulted dignity government claimed foreigners british treason helped draw resolution corpus order permit authorities people jail trial adams proposed new legal distinction rebellion republic unlike monarchy punished execution legislature moved concessions upset farmers saying certain old taxes paid goods instead hard currency measures followed prohibiting speech critical government offering willing oath allegiance legislative actions unsuccessful protests suspension corpus alarmed late november issued arrest protest november men rode arrest rebel leaders area chased arrested 30th wounded sword slash process action arrest protest leaders eastern parts state west began organize overthrow state government seeds war wrote correspondent mid january rebel leaders spoke smashing government massachusetts rebellion federal government unable recruit soldiers army primarily lack funding massachusetts determined act independently january governor proposed creation privately funded militia army continental_army general funds end january raised merchants militia recruited army entirely eastern counties massachusetts marched worcester january government forces organized day rebel leaders west organized forces establishing regional regimental organizations run elected committees major target federal springfield general orders governor taken possession arsenal arm force militia despite fact federal state property permission secretary war henry insurgents organized major groups intended surround simultaneously attack group east springfield near luke day second force force north rebels planned assault january luke day changed minute sending message indicating ready attack 26th day message intercepted men militia parsons men approached 25th knowing support west forces neared found militia waiting ordered warning shots fired approaching heads ordered cannons fire shot men killed wounded musket fire rebel advance collapsed rebel force fled north eventually opposite river day forces fled north eventually reaching general lincoln heard springfield incident immediately began marching west worcester men mustered rebels moved generally north east avoid lincoln eventually establishing camp way raided shops local merchants supplies taking hostage lincoln pursued reaching miles february night february led militia forced march bitter arriving early morning surprised rebel camp thoroughly scattered time parties guards lincoln claimed capture men officers leading historian suspect report leadership escaped north new_hampshire vermont sheltered despite repeated demands returned massachusetts trial lincoln march marked end large scale organized resistance capture fled neighboring states pockets local resistance continued rebel leaders approached lord british governor quebec assistance reported promise assistance form warriors led proposal vetoed london assistance came rebels day lincoln arrived state legislature passed bills authorizing state martial law giving governor broad powers act rebels bills authorized state payments lincoln merchants funded army authorized recruitment additional militia february legislature passed disqualification act seeking prevent legislative response rebel bill forbade acknowledged rebels holding variety elected appointed offices lincoln army melted away late february expired end month commanded thirty men base meantime rebels new_york february crossed border marching major market town southwestern corner state raided shops merchants homes merchants local professionals came attention brigadier mustered force men caught rebels nearby sheffield late day encounter rebellion rebels wounded mortally government soldier killed wounded reinforced encounter reported taking prisoners consequences thousand people signed confessions acknowledging participation events rebellion exchange amnesty participants eventually indicted charges relating rebellion pardoned general amnesty excluded eighteen men convicted sentenced death overturned appeal pardoned sentences condemned men hanged december pardoned returned massachusetts hiding vermont woods boston press painted opposed government later moved new_york area lived died poor obscure crushing rebellion harsh terms reconciliation imposed disqualification act worked governor politically gubernatorial election held april received votes rural parts state military victory tempered tax changes subsequent years legislature elected cut taxes placed debts state spending away interest payments resulting decline value massachusetts payments fell vermont independent republic seeking independent new_york claims territory unexpected rebellion rebel broke new including major landowners claims vermont territory calling state recognize support vermont bid admission union cited vermont facto independence ability cause trouble providing support neighboring states reasons introduced legislation broke new_york vermont responded favorably publicly pushing luke day state quietly continuing support negotiations new_york passage new constitution vermont fourteenth state impact constitution serving ambassador france time refused alarmed rebellion letter january argued little rebellion good thing tree liberty time time blood patriots natural contrast jefferson sentiments george_washington calling constitutional reform years wrote letter talk good sir employing influence present massachusetts know influence found proper remedy disorders influence government let government lives liberties properties secured let know worst influence constitutional convention time rebellion weaknesses federal government constituted apparent vigorous debate going states need stronger central government arguing idea anti opposing historical opinion divided sort role rebellion played formation later ratification united_states_constitution scholars agree played role temporarily drawing anti strong government early influential merchants political leaders agreed stronger central government needed convention maryland september delegates states concluded vigorous steps needed taken reform federal government disbanded lack representation calling convention states held philadelphia notes prominent figures hoped convention fail requiring larger scale convention french diplomat thought convention intentionally broken early achieve end early wrote rural disturbances inability central government fund troops response federal government manifest observed uprising massachusetts clearly influenced local leaders previously opposed strong federal government historian david writes timing rebellion convinced sovereign states proposed gathering philadelphia place states massachusetts delayed choosing delegates proposed convention ways resembled extra legal conventions organized rebellion violent influence constitution convention met philadelphia dominated strong government advocates delegate connecticut argued people trusted exemplified rebellion members federal house_of_representatives chosen state popular vote example rebellion influential addition language constitution concerning ability states manage domestic violence ability demand return individuals states trial rebellion played role discussion number executives delegates thought single executive effective responding national disturbances cited rebellion example confederation government weaknesses opponents thought federal response rebellion worse state merchant massachusetts delegate convention delegates refused sign new constitution reasons stem rebellion influence ratification constitution drafted massachusetts viewed state widespread sentiment rural parts state including active swing votes debates leading state convention vote taken february representatives rural communities involved rebellion voted ratification wide margin day carried coalition merchants urban market town leaders state ratified constitution vote historians divided impact rebellion ratification debates notes major rarely mentioned anti fact massachusetts survived rebellion evidence new constitution unnecessary publications like pennsylvania gazette explicitly tied anti opinion rebel cause calling opponents new constitution argues debate states affected particularly massachusetts rebellion effect richards records observation opposition ratification massachusetts motivated cursed spirit broader opposition states originated constitutional concerns expressed published widely distributed pamphlet outlining concerns powers granted constitution lack bill rights military powers constitution soon use president george_washington passage united_states congress whiskey act protest taxes imposed began western pennsylvania protests escalated washington led federal state militia known memorials events people uprising commemorated towns lived events took place sheffield erected memorial pictured marking site battle route runs called statue general erected hometown town massachusetts memorial erected new_york memorial commemorates general raised troops routed rebellion february ends line obedience law true liberty
Shays' Rebellion