THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
Bird's Eye View |
During the Revolutionary era a system of government was established creating a unified confederacy of states. This first attempt of governance was called the Articles of Confederation. However, it is soon recognized that the Articles of Confederation could not maintain and keep the states unified under a central government. Changes would need to be made to strengthening the federal government.
|
Key-Notes
Video: What were the Articles of Confederation?
Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787)
A former Captain during the American Revolutionary War, Daniel Shays led an uprising of more than 1,000 disgruntled farmers in western Massachusetts. Angry over government seizures of farmlands and farmer imprisonment due to unpaid debts, farmer protests soon grew into a farmer revolt. The angry farmers attacked courthouses and attempted to seize a federal arsenal in Springfield, MA. The revolt was put down by Massachusetts militia but exposed weakness of the federal response.
Due to the lackluster response by the federal government to stop "Shay's Rebellion" many Americans began to question the federal government's ability to control such uprisings. The rebellion led to many Americans calling for a reexamination of the effectiveness of the Articles of Confederation and the need to give greater power to a central government making it capable of enforcing its laws and protecting the home front. |