Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in western Massachusetts that run from 1786 to 1787. The rebels, led by Daniel Shays were small farmers angered by debilitating debt and taxes and failure to repay such debts often resulted in imprisonment in prisons. This was viewed by many as unjust, unfair and primarily favoring those with money. The levying of the taxes was orchestrated so as to put money back to the coffers after the American revolution. Those adversely affected were small scale subsistence farmers and because of this, many found it extremely difficult to feed and cloth their families. There was also the issue of the tax system. The tax system at this time was regressive in that much of the Eastern state economies lay in the barter system as opposed to the more monetary based economies found in the western and central parts of Massachusetts.
Consequently, many farmers were unable to meet their tax obligations and were forced to sell their lands so as to raise money. As......
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Approximate Pages: 4 (260 words per double-spaced page) |