Shays' Rebellion: The making of an agrarian insurrection

by David P. Szatmary

the overwhelming majority of the citizenry labored in a relative subsistence economy

Genres: History, American History, American Revolution, Academic, Politics, Nonfiction

184 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1980

Reviews

[Mark Singer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but detailed examination of the Shay's Rebellion of 1786-1787. The rebellion was a reaction of yeoman farmers against debt collection and property seizure in upstate Massachusetts short after the end of the American Revolution. A lack of credit led merchant interests and their inland shopkeeper allies to demand payment on debts, and the bottom of the debt chain was held by yeoman farmers. The creditors refused payment in any other form than specie (hard currency or metal), and would not accept barter, paper money, or tender relief. The farmers were unable to obtain any relief from the legislature and courts, and were driven to rebellion by attacking debtor courts and the homes of prominent citizens.
The revolt divided the wealthy commercial and merchant elites of the Massachusets coast versus the poorer upstate yeoman farmers. I was both impressed and shocked by the vehemence and violence of the rhetoric of the opposing sides as each saw the other as irredeemable. Although the rebellion occurred after plans for a constitutional convention in Philadelphia had been announced for 1787, the memory of the suppressed revolt was fresh in the minds of the delegates as they strived to create a stronger national government. The split in Massachusetts was also evident when the new constitution was ratified by a narrow margin in 1788, as the split between Federalists and Anti-Federalists mirrored the division of the recent rebellion.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed from a prof. Forget the Federalist Papers- this is a well stated blow to the hagiography surrounding the motivations and reasons for replacement of the Article of Confederation with the US Constitution. A rebellion of farmers who were still armed veterns of the American Revolution scared reluctant elites into pushing for centralized government that would have the power to thwart rebellion and maintain a commericial economy.

[Kelly]

The farmers versus the merchant class. History always repeats. Today we still have a growing urban vs. rural divide.