Daniel Shays’ decision to attack the Springfield Armory could be justified by the economic inequality that was witnessed between the farmers and government officials during the post-war era. Following the Revolutionary War, former soldiers were enraged because of the unfair taxes imposed by the state and the little pay they had received for their service. This sparked conflict, specifically in Massachusetts. Daniel Shays, a war veteran, gathered an army (4,000+ men) to protest against these financial injustices. Consequently, Shays’ army attempted to seize the Springfield Armory but was driven out by William Shepard’s private militia. In a way, Shays’ decision to lead a rebellion was just, because he was fighting for the better welfare of farmers
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The national conflicts mainly consisted of the fiscal crisis and the poorly devised economic policies of the state. Following the war, the nation’s economy was in shambles because of the now restricted exports to Britain and Congress’ responsibility for meeting the war’s costs. “By the end of the war, these Continental dollars were nearly worthless, and the national debt stood at $11 million” (188). This statement exemplifies the national recession that America was experiencing. This national economic depression had major repercussions in all the states. State governments had to issue private taxes in order to recover the debt of the war, and as a result, this angered citizens (Shays’ Rebellion). During this time, the United States was regularly ridiculed by other countries for being powerless. Although the U.S. was on good terms with France, Spain and Britain tried to block American expansion. This did seem vital, but at the time, maintaining strong foreign affairs was not as important as resolving America’s internal problems. Having a secure economy and a solid government would create a well-laid foundation for the U.S. In conclusion, the diplomatic weaknesses of the United States were not as serious an issue as opposed to fixing the country’s internal …show more content…
Specific leaders who met at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia to draft the document were John Adams, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson.The objective of the convention was to construct a new, but powerful national government that would fulfill the citizens’ demands and maintain healthy foreign affairs. Americans were well represented during the convention; each state sent four to five delegates, which added up to a total of 55 men. All the representatives were highly educated and about one-third were war veterans. Although they belonged to a wealthy social class, the delegates were still able to express the beliefs of their citizens. Despite the fact that the Constitution was written based on Federalist theories, it still allowed some power to rest only in the hands of the state government. This made American citizens content in the United States’ newly established
The national conflicts mainly consisted of the fiscal crisis and the poorly devised economic policies of the state. Following the war, the nation’s economy was in shambles because of the now restricted exports to Britain and Congress’ responsibility for meeting the war’s costs. “By the end of the war, these Continental dollars were nearly worthless, and the national debt stood at $11 million” (188). This statement exemplifies the national recession that America was experiencing. This national economic depression had major repercussions in all the states. State governments had to issue private taxes in order to recover the debt of the war, and as a result, this angered citizens (Shays’ Rebellion). During this time, the United States was regularly ridiculed by other countries for being powerless. Although the U.S. was on good terms with France, Spain and Britain tried to block American expansion. This did seem vital, but at the time, maintaining strong foreign affairs was not as important as resolving America’s internal problems. Having a secure economy and a solid government would create a well-laid foundation for the U.S. In conclusion, the diplomatic weaknesses of the United States were not as serious an issue as opposed to fixing the country’s internal …show more content…
Specific leaders who met at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia to draft the document were John Adams, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson.The objective of the convention was to construct a new, but powerful national government that would fulfill the citizens’ demands and maintain healthy foreign affairs. Americans were well represented during the convention; each state sent four to five delegates, which added up to a total of 55 men. All the representatives were highly educated and about one-third were war veterans. Although they belonged to a wealthy social class, the delegates were still able to express the beliefs of their citizens. Despite the fact that the Constitution was written based on Federalist theories, it still allowed some power to rest only in the hands of the state government. This made American citizens content in the United States’ newly established