The Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in western Massachusetts from August 1786 to January 1787. It took place in an economic context troubled by inflation and the devaluation of the dollar.
Explanation:
After the War of Independence, the United States had to contend with a high government debt. A lot of money had been printed on it, as a result of which existing funds were greatly reduced in value and the country was in the midst of an economic crisis, because it had almost no foreign markets for its products. In the meantime, the various states increased taxes to reduce their own national debt.
The uprising broke out on August 29, 1786, and began with protesters, including many veterans from the War of Independence who closed several courts to counter legal measures for collecting taxes. Many war veterans were involved in the uprising, because they still owed the government credit. Governor James Bowdoin condemned the demonstrations, but, unlike the surrounding states where similar events took place, did not directly intervene. Relative to the state government, the protesters radicalized after some of their leaders were imprisoned and began to arm themselves.
As the federal government did not have the financial means to raise an army, the local elite financed their own militia. In January 1787, a hastily assembled private army led by Benjamin Lincoln attacked a group of insurgents who wished to invade the Springfield National Arms Depot in the name of the state of Massachussetts. Four rebels lost their lives. A new attack on the rebels' camp in Petersham, Massachusetts followed on February 4, 1787, causing the rebel army to fall apart. The resistance continued until June of that year, but had no impact after that.
Four thousand men signed a confession afterwards. Several hundred were indicted, but most fell under a general pardon, with the exception of the leaders. Eighteen leaders of the rebellion were sentenced to death, but most judgments were later reviewed on appeal or were favored. Two men were hanged. Daniel Shays, the leader of the resurrection, also received a pardon. He later moved to New York and lived there until his death in 1825.
