Shays Rebellion to Constitution time

From there to here and back again, a hobbits errrr, a nations tale.

What was it? : A rebellion against the

government of Massachusetts When?: August, 1786 through July, 1787 Who were the main players?: Daniel Shays Luke Day

Shays Rebellion

Financial difficulties brought about by a post-

war economic depression A credit squeeze caused by a lack of hard

currency Fiscally harsh government policies instituted in

1785 to solve the state's debt problems.

Simply put the government was playing fast and loose with veterans pay and then charging them taxes they couldn’t pay.

Shays Rebellion

WHY?

Luke Day thrown into debtor prison for 70

days for failing to pay £34 ($55) Courts flooded with cases involving less £1 Job Shattuck: 1782 in Groton, organized

residents there to physically prevent tax collectors

Feb. 3, 1783 A second, larger protest took place in Uxbridge, when a mob seized property that had been confiscated and returned it to its owners

More Why

September 19, the Supreme Judicial Court of

Massachusetts indicted eleven leaders of the rebellion as "disorderly, riotous, and seditious persons

Day and others moved to block the court from meeting at Springfield on September 26

Protests in Great Barrington, Concord, and Taunton were also successful in shutting courts down in September and October

Lets Get Ready to Rumble!

Springfield Arsenal, January 25 through 28,

1787 Militia of Shays and Parsons: 1,500 men march

on the Arsenal only to find Shepard's (government supported) militia waiting for them

Rebels scatter after 4 men die and 20 are wounded from grapeshot

General Ben Lincoln surprises the rebels by attacking their base on the night of February 3–4. Rebels scatter

FINISH HIM!

Men were required to turn in their guns and take an

oath of allegiance delivered by a Justice of the Peace. Barred from serving as jurors, members of town or

state government and certain professions for three years.

Lost their right to vote in town elections. Would forfeit their pardons if they did not follow those

rules. However, if they could prove their unfailing allegiance to the state on or after May 1, 1788, they would no longer be barred from being a juror, voting or being members of government or certain professions.

http://shaysrebellion.stcc.edu/index.html

Massachusetts Disqualification Act, February 16, 1787

Each state only had one vote in Congress,

regardless of size. Congress had not have the power to tax. Congress did not have the power to regulate foreign

and interstate commerce. There was no executive branch to enforce any acts

passed by Congress. There was no national court system. Amendments to the Articles of Confederation

required a unanimous vote. Laws required a 9/13 majority to pass in Congress.

Articles of Confederation

Mr.Cornwell Gets Crazy With Markers

New York: Egbert Benson and Alexander

Hamilton New Jersey: Abraham Clark, William Houston,

and James Schureman Pennsylvania: Tench Coxe Delaware: George Read, John Dickinson, and

Richard Bassett Virginia: Edmund Randolph, James Madison, Jr.,

and St. George Tucker

Annapolis Convention (1786)

At Madison's instigation, a national convention

was called in 1787. Crucial in persuading George Washington to

attend the convention One of the first delegates to arrive, Madison

wrote what became known as the Virginia Plan.

Virginia Plan was submitted at the opening of the convention, work of the convention quickly became to amend the Virginia Plan.

James Madison

Virginia Plan

Three Branches- legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislature chose people to serve in the executive and judicial branches.

Two houses (bicameral). The House of Representatives was elected by the people and the Senate was elected by the state legislatures. Both were represented proportionally.

The legislature could regulate interstate trade, strike down laws deemed unconstitutional and use armed forces to enforce laws.

Three Branches - legislative, executive, and

judicial. The legislature appoints people to serve in the executive branch, and the executive branch selects the justices of the Supreme Court.

One house (unicameral). States would be represented equally, so all states had the same power.

The national government could levy taxes and import duties, regulate trade, and cases involving these powers would still be heard by state courts unless appealed to the federal judiciary.

New Jersey Plan

Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, Connecticut

delegation, created a compromise Blended elements of the Virginia and New Jersey plans Three-Fifths Compromise Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned

among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.

Great Compromise of 1787