Shays' Rebellion by Logan Page

Map of Massachusetts (1780s)

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 00:09:04 UTC

Shays rebellion took place from 1786-1787 in Massachusetts

Summary of events

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 00:20:37 UTC

In 1786, America experienced a credit crisis that led to creditors demanding payments in cash from their borrowers. Many farmers in rural communities had little to no access to physical currency and had relied on credit and bartering to pay for goods and services (Pressman). Those who had no way to repay their debts could be tried in a court of law and be forced to sell their lands (forfeiting their voting rights) and hauled off to Debtor's prisons where they would work off their debts. Daniel Shays was a revolutionary war captain rendered destitute by the crisis, and many of his friends and neighbors were sent to debtor's prisons. Daniel Shays expressed his grievances with the courts at county conventions where he began to gain a following of supporters. Shays and co petitioned the Massachusetts government to end the trials of the indebted. In response Samuel Adam banned the county conventions. Shays then used his experience as a captain to train his followers into a militia. Then Shays and his rebels used intimidation tactics to force local courts to cease operations. Samuel Adams sent out a band of cavalry who captured rebel Job Shattuck, but the rebels received false reports that he had been killed, unifying them against the government. Revolutionary war General Benjamin Lincoln raised money to fund a mercenary army to put down Shays' rebellion. On January 25, 1787 Shay's led his rebels to attack the arsenal in Spring Field. however the plans for the attack were intercepted by members of the militia tasked with defending the arsenal. The rebels were disorganized without theirs orders and forced into a retreat after failing to capture the arsenal.

Annotated Map

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 01:37:21 UTC

The most pivotal battle in Shays' rebellion took place at Spring Field on Jan 27, 1787.

I marked it in red for better visibility.

What Shays' wanted to happen

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 02:01:50 UTC

Shays told a reporter he planned to plunder and raze Boston if his rebels were successful in their attack on the Springfield Arsenal on Jan 25 1787 (“shays... Americas First Civil War” 9). Shays referred to Boston and its inhabitants as "a nest of devils who by their influence, make courts enact what they please" (“shays... Americas First Civil War” 9). Fortunately Shays' plot was foiled at the arsenal in Springfield (“shays... Americas First Civil War” 10).

What actually happened

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 03:10:30 UTC

After facing defeat the Spring Field Arsenal, Shays and some loyal rebels retreated west, however many rebels abandoned the cause and scattered in all directions. Shays and the rebels were ambushed by Lincoln's army at Sheffield those who weren't killed or injured in the chaos ran for their lives. Shays' rebellion was dead, but Shays himself was able to avoid his capture by escaping to Vermont. The Massachusetts supreme court would later rule that once captured shays would be sentenced to death. But fortunately for him he was pardoned before he could be captured (Laver).

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 04:01:11 UTC

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 04:05:47 UTC

Shays' rebels capture a courthouse

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 04:08:02 UTC

Shays' forces in Massachusetts

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 04:13:12 UTC

Benjamin Lincoln

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 04:14:04 UTC

Daniel Shays

loganpage2 — 2024-11-24 04:16:49 UTC