Shays’s Rebellion exposed the weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation and led many—including George Washington—to call for strengthening the federal government in order to put down future uprisings.

What was Shays rebellion and why did it bother George Washington?

Among these disgruntled former soldiers was the Continental Army Captain Daniel Shays, who led a violent uprising against debt collection in Massachusetts. The rebellion set the stage for George Washington’s return to political life and highlighted weaknesses inherent within the Articles of Confederation.

How did George Washington react to 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,

What did Washington believe was the cause of Shays rebellion?





George Washington believed the cause of Shays’ Rebellion was the weakness of the central government to keep such instability from spreading.

What was the reason Shays rebellion frightened many of the national leaders?

People feared that the actions of the farmers might become widespread. The national government had been unable to put down the rebel- lion. People were asking how the country could continue to exist if it could not maintain law and order.

What did Shays rebellion do?

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.

Why was Shays so angry?



Daniel Shays, a former Continental Army captain, led a group of upset western Massachusetts residents who were upset about the way the state government was handling wartime debt and high taxes.

Why didn t George Washington want to go to the convention?

Further, Washington initially refused to attend because he suspected that he would be made the Convention’s leader, and probably be proposed as the nation’s first chief executive.



What was the fear for the Shays rebellion?

Shays’s Rebellion and other acts of violence deeply shocked Americans and spread fear the United States was on the verge of anarchy. Motivated by this fear more and more Americans turned to the idea of a stronger central government.

How did George Washington reacted to a conflict between England and France?

These conflicting loyalties clashed in February 1793, when the Revolutionary regime in France declared war on Great Britain. Soon the conflict threatened to engulf the United States. With the war looming, Washington convened his cabinet in April 1793 and asked for the secretaries’ advice on how to remain neutral.

What influenced George Washington to take action against the Whiskey Rebellion?

By 1794, the Whiskey Rebellion threatened the stability of the nascent United States and forced President Washington to personally lead the United States militia westward to stop the rebels.

What did Washington do against slavery?



Despite having been an enslaver for 56 years, George Washington struggled with the institution of slavery and wrote of his desire to end the practice. At the end of his life, Washington made the decision to free all of the enslaved people he owned in his 1799 will.

Who did Shays Rebellion convince?

General George Washington

The threat posed by Shays’ Rebellion helped persuade retired General George Washington to reenter public service, leading to his two terms as the first President of the United States.

What does Washington blame for the problems in the United States?

Washington blamed the Patriot reliance on the militia as the chief root of his problems in the devastating loss of Long Island and Manhattan to the British.

What was Shays rebellion in simple terms?



Shays’ Rebellion was a series of violent attacks on courthouses and other government properties in Massachusetts that began in 1786 and led to a full-blown military confrontation in 1787.

What was Shays rebellion and why was it important to the drive for a constitution?

The uprising was one of the major influences in the calling of a Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The tax protest demonstrated that the federal government, under the Articles of Confederation, couldn’t effectively put down an internal rebellion.

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 George Washington’s opinion?

Washington remained above the fray; he wanted to be a president of all the American citizens. The most important reason was he believed unity, not division, was necessary for a democratic republic to survive. Washington believed that political parties would divide and destroy the young United States.

What did 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?