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WGBH Daniel Shay’s Rebellion:
This 8 slide interactive has a great deal of information. It can be an activity that a class competes together, or a teacher can create a worksheet for the students to complete. We have created a set of questions that engage students. Teachers are welcome to use any questions for their class
Essential Question: How did Shays’s Rebellion expose the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and lead to the creation of the U.S. Constitution?
READ CLOSELY: Answer the questions by following the interactive.
The Articles of Confederation
The Continental Congress ratified , the first constitution of the United States, in November .
Under the Articles of Confederation, the states maintained
, while the national government had . In addition, representatives from 9 of the 13 states had to approve a bill before it became law, and all 13 states had to agree to change an existing law. The states, which had just freed themselves from an monarch, were not eager to relinquish their power to a new and potentially national government.
Define relinquish ( )
Cover page of the Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation and the of the states New Hampshire, Msssachusettts – Bay…..
UNDER THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
| The National Government COULD | The National Government COULD NOT |
Any power that was not granted to the national government was
by the states.
Financial Problems Plague the Young Nation (page 2)
HOTS: Read each paragraph closely. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, summarize each paragraph with AT LEAST TWO SENTENCES.
Paragraph #1
Paragraph #2
Massachusetts Increases State Taxes (page 3)
Draw (with words) the image to the right
in 1786, the state government increased taxes by almost percent and instructed
taxpayers to make payment in and coins. If they failed to do
so, they risked having their by the state and
spending jail time in debtor’s prison.
Paying the higher state taxes seemed next to for many of them.
End time
Name period
Daniel Shay’s Rebellion (part 2)
Start Time
Veterans Return from the War to Unfulfilled Promises (Page 4)
Current Events: Continuity & Change: Can you think of any workers TODAY (2025) who are working in the hopes of receiving “backpay.”
Journal Entry: Read the information closely. After reading the excerpt, write a journal entry as if you were a soldier returning to your farm. In your entry, share your emotions and thoughts about the current situation. Reflect on your service as a soldier, your current situation, and the future. (6-7 sentences)
Daniel Shays Helps Lead a Rebellion (page 5)
List the THREE peaceful resolutions proposed by some farmers to the economic crisis
1.
2.
3.
Explain the actions of the following individuals and groups.
Shays & protesters:
Governor Bowdoin:
Massachusetts Militia:
The State Struggles to Suppress the Rebellion (page 6)
Explain the two parts of the Riot Act of 1786
1.
2.
Under the Articles of Confederation, the Federal Government did not have the authority to
1. 2.
What was Governor Bowdoin’s solution?
Write the FULL DEFINITION of habeas corpus.
EVALUATE the attack of Shays and the other protesters (2-3 sentences)
The Failure of the Articles of Confederation
COPY THE TWO QUESTIONS that Shays’ Rebellion raised about the Federal Government
1.
2.
The U.S. Constitution Replaces the Articles of Confederation
Fill in the blanks.
| Constitution | Articles of Confederation |
| Three branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial) | |
| Unicameral (one house) | |
| Two votes in the Senate; votes based on population in the House of Representatives | |
| Federal government controls interstate commerce | Congress could not regulate interstate commerce |
| Federal government has the power to tax | |
| Federal government can raise and support a military | Congress could not raise and support a military |
| Federal government can take on and pay debts | |
| Federal government can issue and regulate the value of money | States created their own currency |
End time
Worcester December 7, 1786.
An ADDRESS to the PEOPLE of the several Towns in the County of Hampshire, from the Body now at arms.
Gentlemen,
We have thought proper to inform you of some of the principal causes of the late risings of the people, and also of their present movement, viz.
1st: The present expensive mode of collecting debts, which by the reason of the great scarcity of cash, will be necessity fill our gaols with unhappy debtors, and thereby render a reputable body of people incapable of being serviceable either to themselves or the community.
2d. The monies raised by impost and excise being appropriated to discharge the interest of governmental securities, and not the foreign debt, when these securities are not subject to taxation.
3d. A suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus, by which those persons who have stepped forth to assert and maintain the rights of the people, are liable to be the taken, and conveyed even to the most distant part of the commonwealth, and thereby subject to an unjust punishment.
4th. The unlimited power granted to Justices of the Peace, Serriffs, Deputy-Serriffs and Constables, by the Riot Act, indemnifying them in the prosecution thereof, when perhaps wholly actuated from a principle of revenge, hatred and envy.
5th. _ _ be assured, that this body now at arms, dispite the idea of being initiated by British emissaries, which is to strenuously propagated by the enemies of our liberties: We also with the most proper and speedy measures may be taken to discharge both our foreign and domestic debt.
Per Order,
DANIEL GRAY, Chairman of a Com. for the above purpose
The LOOKING GLASS for 1787 Pay Commutation Drive them to it I abhor the antifederal Faction Comply with Congress Gentlemen this Machine is deep in the mire and you are divided as to its releaf– Tax Luxury the People are oprest curses on to Foederal Govermt. Success to Shays Curse Independence Council of Twelve [on wagon] CONNECTICUT [on scroll] American Antiquities Parnassus I despise your Copper CATO Cur’s commutation J. Takes all to pay taxes I fear & dread the Ides of MAY Agricola A good Shot S H P New York From Connecticut to New York paying £40000 per annum Impost Tweedles Studdy as I sit plodding by my taper A House divided against its self cannot stand Mat. Chap 12th verse 26
Essential Question How did Shays’s Rebellion expose the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and lead to the creation of the U.S. Constitution?
This is great for students to understand the BIG picture. Shays’ Rebellion in Massachusetts had a huge impact on establishing our government.
Reading & Fill-in the blanks: This is a section that most students should be able to identify the correct answers.
Assessment: accuracy
Definitions: For each word, students need to:
- Identify the part of speech. This is a skill that needs to be reinforced. In September, students have difficulty defining parts of speech.
- Definitions: Developing the ability to create a fairly accurate definition based on context clues.
Assessment: Effort
Compare & Contrast Chart: This is an easy set of questions; students need to simply copy the information.
Higher Order Thinking Skills: Read each paragraph closely. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, summarize each paragraph with AT LEAST TWO SENTENCES. This is much more challenging for many students, but the goal is to create critical readers. STRESS to the students to use their own words. Early in the school year, many students will simply copy sentences from the excerpt and feel they are doing a good job.
Drawing: It is always good to include a few opportunities for students to be artistic. It does not need to take a lot of time, just create a box and ask students to draw to the best of their ability.
Current Events: Continuity & Change: This short writing prompt allows students to make connections to current domestic events like the 2025 government shutdown shutdown.
Journal Entry: This allows students to write creatively. The students can process the information from the interactive and write a journal entry as if the student were a Western Massachusetts farmer. This allows students to have a little empathy and try to see how the taxes impact one person.