Shays' Rebellion (aug 1, 1786 – jan 1, 1787)

Description:

Actual armed rebellion led by war veteran Daniel Shays and 4,000 rebels (Shaysistes) in West Massachusetts.

Economic disruption: artificial prosperity of the war years soon disappeared, national debt steadily increased and the credit of the American government was so poor that loans required to meet its operation expenses could be obtained only with great difficulty and exorbitant interest rates + important individual debts: many Americans still owed money over since the end of the war -> led to the Shay's Rebellion

Many individual Americans met great difficulties to honor the debts they had contracted during the war.

The British exerted intense pressure on these debtors and demanded to be reimbursed in hard currency (no paper money, property or in kind)

State governments did little to help poor farmers in these hard conditions.

Consequence: Violent rebellion led Founding Fathers (among whom G. Whashington and James Madison) to fear the people (risks of anarchy and despotism) and to call for a more organized and central government for the United States.

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