Shays’s rebellion led Washington and other Nationalists— including Alexander Hamilton and James Madison—to proclaim the Articles of Confederation inadequate and urge support for the Constitution produced by the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

What did George Washington say about Shays rebellion?

Of Shays’ Rebellion, Washington wrote, “if three years ago any person had told me that at this day, I should see such a formidable rebellion against the laws & constitutions of our own making as now appears I should have thought him a bedlamite – a fit subject for a mad house.” He wrote that if the government “shrinks,

How did Washington and Jefferson react to Shays rebellion?

During Shays’ Rebellion he had a different reaction than George Washington. Where Washington reacted with fear and a call for a more centralized government, Jefferson almost embraced the rebellion.

What did they do during Shays rebellion?





Shays’s Rebellion, (August 1786–February 1787), uprising in western Massachusetts in opposition to high taxes and stringent economic conditions. Armed bands forced the closing of several courts to prevent execution of foreclosures and debt processes.

Who put down Shays rebellion?

In January 1787, Governor Bowdoin hired his own army, privately funded by Boston businessmen. Some 4,400 men under the command of General Benjamin Lincoln were directed to put down the insurgency.

What did Washington’s response to the rebellion prove?

The federal response to the Whiskey Rebellion was widely believed to be a critical test of federal authority, one that Washington’s fledgling government met with success. The whiskey tax that inspired the rebellion remained in effect until 1802.

What was George Washington’s opinion on Shays rebellion quizlet?



How did George Washington feel about Shays’ Rebellion? George Washington was extremely embarrassed with the United States as he exclaims, “I am mortified (embarrassed) beyond expression. He feared that the United States mus look “ridiculous…in the eyes of all Europe.”

What was President Washington’s reaction to the rebellion?

Washington responded by sending peace commissioners to western Pennsylvania to negotiate with the rebels, while at the same time calling on governors to send a militia force to enforce the tax.



What danger did Washington foresee from the British after Shays rebellion?

Annotation: In a letter to his former Revolutionary war comrade General Henry Knox (1750-1806), Washington offers his view of Shays’ Rebellion. This letter epitomizes the perception that severe dangers–from corruption, British intrigue, and popular discontent–threatened all that had been won during the Revolution.

What did George Washington and Thomas Jefferson disagree on?

Federalists, such as Washington and his Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, believed that the central government should be the strongest entity. Thomas Jefferson, an Anti-Federalist, however, wanted strong state governments and a weak central government.

What were two effects of Shays Rebellion?

Effects of Shays’ Rebellion



The obvious need for reforms led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the replacement of the Articles of Confederation with the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights.

What was Thomas Jefferson’s opinion on Shays rebellion?



Thomas Jefferson believed that any rebellion was a good thing because it helped to protect the people’s liberty and limit the power of the government.

What did Thomas Jefferson say about Shays rebellion?

Paris, November 13, 1787



I say nothing of its motives. They were founded in ignorance, not wickedness. God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion… What country before, ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion?

What did George Washington have to say about slavery?

Throughout the 1780s and 1790s, Washington stated privately that he no longer wanted to be a slaveowner, that he did not want to buy and sell slaves or separate enslaved families, and that he supported a plan for gradual abolition in the United States.

What did George Washington think about the Articles of Confederation?

Washington believed the Articles of Confederation should be revised to give the central government more power, but he was hesitant to get involved. Washington believed that his every move would be scrutinized, both by his contemporaries and by the annals of history.

Who did George Washington fight for and why?



As a young man, he worked as a surveyor then fought in the French and Indian War (1754-63). During the American Revolution, he led the colonial forces to victory over the British and became a national hero.

What were George Washington’s contributions?

What is George Washington known for? George Washington is often called the “Father of His Country.” He not only served as the first president of the United States, but he also commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolution (1775–83) and presided over the convention that drafted the U.S. Constitution.