Shays' Rebellion: Epilogue to the American Revolution

Historical Topics Covered:

Masachusetts Governor John Hancock
1700s Massachusetts Economy
Selectmen
Hampshire County Meeting 1786
Massachusetts Constitution Ratification Convention
Massachusetts Constitution 1780
Massachusetts' Revolutionary War Debt
Revolutionary War Note Depreciation & Note Speculation
Property Tax & Poll Tax
Governor James Bowdoin
War of the Regulations
General William Shepard, Luke Day, Daniel Shays
General Benjamin Lincoln
Springfield Arsenal
Disqualification Act 1787
Articles of Confederation & Constitutional Convention
Henry Knox's Letter to George Washington 1786

[GerardHay]

Exactly where we are today but few realize. Good explanation and informative to avoid the next digital dollar scam.

[donpeters]

I had never heard of Shay’s Rebellion, and I consider myself pretty knowledgeable of our history in the US. What a eye opener. Thank you for opening my eyes to a very interesting time in our history.

[noelphillips]

I found this video very informative and well presented. I am a guide at the American Museum in Bath, England, where there is a room known as Conkeys Tavern, incorporating one of the original fireplace lintels that has an inscription dated 1776. I am preparing a talk on Shay’s Rebellion for my colleague guides, and will certainly use some of these facts. Well done.

[AdmiralNathanSchrödinger]

This is an excellent summary of this pivotal moment in US history. As a political science major in undergrad, I was a bit surprised to learn of the "rebellion to the rebellion" and the circumstances that brought it about. But it dove-tailed with other theories that suggested the Revolution was instigated by wealthy Massachusetts merchants who wanted to shed the shackles of the Navigation Acts in their potential wealth building in the West Indies, and that "taxation without representation" was the marketing pitch to attract soldiers to the fight. At any rate, Thomas Jefferson was not a fan of Massachusetts' actions, nor was a he a fan of the Constitution. In a letter to one of John Adams' relatives (son in law I think) he made the point that the US was overdue for a rebellion. Even Farrand's book on the framing of the Constitution downplayed the Rebellion's role in the Constitutional conventions. Thanks for bringing back great memories of my "enlightenment period."

[naslan]

This was incredibly well done. Well researched and more importantly - told with tremendous fairness.

Nice work, Bianchi Family!

[MilciadesAndrion]

This is a great video and the explanations are very clear. Congratulations to the author and narrator.

[paulbahn]

Thank you so much for a well produced history lesson! Bravo!!!

[bbwng]

Daniel Bullen has written a book called "Daniel Shays's Honorable Rebellion" which is consistent with this video's idea that the insurrection was not a mob to overthrow the Massachusetts government, but had a legitimate set of grievances. His book has been favorably reviewed by historians Woody Holton, Ray Raphael, and the Journal of America's Military Past. Thomas Jefferson also referred to this as an "honorable rebellion". James Bowdoin and many others were voted out of office (returning John Hancock as governor) with tax relief in subsequent years as stated in this excellent video.

[hdanielnoble]

My ancestors were involved directly with the men counted as FOR the cause of Shay's Rebellion. In history they have been always depicted as a deplorable mob. I have always disagreed.

[damnedyankee]

Great Job HistoricalSpotlight! Best I've seen. This should be taught to every High School kid in America! ( some people ) would rather forget, I guess that is why the 12 thumbs down...they are out numbered!

[craigholman]

Great presentation. I would recommend being aware that a great motive for our Founding Father's was the threat to their property. Our constitution is a document written by the elite property holders of the time to protect their interests from the 'rabble' or the common man. I also found it interesting that money seemed to be a prerequisite for voting as it was thought that only the propertied and rich had the ability to lead. Certainly they were to lead with their interests in mind.

[michelepurington]

Glad my hometown is mentioned. Poor Coleraine (Colrain) is often forgotten about.

[WorldPeace-AdamNeira]

Excellent presentation of an important yet largely unknown part of history. Well done.

I'm currently researching in great depth the circumstances and chronology of the US Constitutional Convention. Why? Because there needs to be a "Holy Land Constitution" discussed, negotiated and written up tout de suite.

[jeffryfernandez]

Great narration. First time I read about it was in A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn after college. It should be studied in high school or earlier.

[walterhunter]

I am watching this because of the revolution that is happening as I speak in Minneapolis

[michaelthomson]

Great video.I appreciate the many reasons the farmers of Western Massachusetts chose to revolt.

[nationalisthomestead]

Excellent wish you had one on the Battle of Athens

[greenwich]

Awesome! Had to hit pause several times to digest all the info presented. I think Luke Day's men were intercepted due to leaked info, but not sure. As a long time Quabbin history buff, I found this very riveting. I have been to Daniel Shay's homesite in the former town of Prescott (originally Pelham), and have been near to the former site of Conkey's Tavern (now underwater), where Shay's & his men supposedly mustered his troops (because they could not ketchup). Spent many an hour (probably too many) daydreaming of what those days were like. Ironically, the lands Shay's once lived upon are now owned by the state.

[virgiljjacas]

Those people, the farmers, peasants, the land owners, did become victims of the speculators Capitalist and their " Bonds ".

[swvaroot]

See the story of the N. Carolina Regulators of about 1766 and the battle of Alamace Co NC. Many consider it the start of the Rev. War.   The similarity is nothing short of shocking.