Question 1

What caused Shays' Rebellion?

Accepted Answer

Shays' Rebellion was caused by a debt crisis in New England, where poor rural farmers were forced to pay their debts in hard currency, which was scarce, rather than in surplus crops, which they had previously been allowed to do. When the farmers could not pay, they faced having their property seized by the government or being thrown into debtors' jail.

Question 2

What was Shays' Rebellion?

Accepted Answer

Shays' Rebellion was an armed insurrection of rural farmers in western and central Massachusetts that lasted from August 1786 until February 1787.

Question 3

How did Shays' Rebellion show the weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

Accepted Answer

Shays' Rebellion highlighted the weakness of the federal government under the Articles of Confederation, which left Congress powerless to intervene; under the Articles, Congress could not maintain a standing army nor could it levy taxes to recruit soldiers in similar times of crisis.

Question 4

What was the effect of Shays' Rebellion?

Accepted Answer

The major effect of Shays' Rebellion was an increase in support for a strong central government, leading to the US Constitutional Convention in 1787.

Shays' Rebellion

Definition

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