Response to the rebellion
Shays’s Rebellion resulted in many people beginning to form opinions about how the government should respond to such uprisings. Some, like Abigail Adams and George Washington, saw the need for the rebellion to be quickly squelched in order to protect the peace and stability of the government. Some, like Thomas Jefferson, believed in the benefits of rebellion and disagreed with the fierce protestation many expressed in regards to the insurrection. The rebellion exposed the important weaknesses of the government, and in response, people began to call out for change. Even many of those who had opposed to a strong central government started to alter their opinions.(1) However, regardless of people's opinions, it was clear that something had to change, and thus, Shays's Rebellion inadvertently set a monumental turning point into motion.
Abigail adams
Instead of that laudible Spirit which you approve, which makes a people watchfull over their Liberties and alert in the defence of them, these Mobish insurgents are for sapping the foundation, and distroying the whole fabrick at once." Abigail Adams was greatly offended by the events taking place in her home state in early 1787. She considered the rebels to be threatening the foundation of government, and called out for the revolt to be vigorously quelled and suppressed.
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George washington
Precedents are dangerous things; let the reins of government then be braced and held with a steady hand, and every violation of the Constitution be reprehended: if defective, let it be amended, but not suffered to be trampled upon whilst it has an existence." George Washington, like Abigail Adams, was wary of the rebellion. He saw the effect it would have on the country's citizens and how they would view the government after such an event, especially if the rebellion was not quickly suppressed. He understood the possibility that the government may have needed to be altered, and was open to the prospect of its amendment.
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Thomas Jefferson
I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the Atmosphere." What country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms." Thomas Jefferson, in comparison, was neither startled nor angered by the insurrection. He approved of the uprising. He believed in occasional resistance to government for the health of the nation.
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Toward a constitution
Before Shays's Rebellion had gained much ground, the Annapolis Convention was held. The Annapolis Convention was in the autumn of 1786, and was a gathering of delegates from five states who planned to discuss the changes that should be made to the federal government. However, with so few states represented, the convention accomplished nothing except to call together a broader convention in Philadelphia in May of 1787. In the time directly between the two conventions was Shays's Rebellion. Shays's Rebellion made clear the general discontent of the population as well as fatal flaws of the federal government. Because of the rebellion, the urgency of the Philadelphia convention rose considerably. As the issues with the government system grew increasingly obvious, the importance of the May convention continued to escalate. Due to Shays's Rebellion, America was rapidly approaching the brink of a historic transformation.
(1) Paul Douglas Newman and Mark Spencer, "Shays’s Rebellion: Did Shays’s Rebellion Influence the Adoption of the Constitution?," in The American Revolution, 1763-1789, vol. 12,History in Dispute (Detroit: St. James Press, 2003), accessed March 26, 2014, U.S. History in Context.
(2) Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, January 29, 1787, accessed April 13, 2014, http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-07-02-0181.
(3) Portrait of Abigail Adams, photograph, accessed April 29, 2014, http://www.whatsoproudlywehail.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Abigail-Adams-c.-1800-by-Jane-Stuart.jpg.
(4) George Washington to Henry Lee, October 31, 1786, The George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799, Library of Congress, accessed April 2, 2014, http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field(DOCID+@lit(gw290026)).
(5) Portrait of George Washington, image, accessed April 29, 2014, http://www.mountvernon.org/sites/mountvernon.org/files/images/GW_Stuart-CT-6437.jpg.
(6) Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, February 22, 1787, accessed April 13, 2014, http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/presidents/thomas-jefferson/letters-of-thomas-jefferson/jefl55.php.
(7) Letter by Thomas Jefferson, "To William S. Smith Paris, Nov. 13, 1787," November 13, 1787, accessed April 1, 2014, http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/presidents/thomas-jefferson/letters-of-thomas-jefferson/jefl64.php.
(8) Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, photograph, accessed April 29, 2014, http://santitafarella.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/thomas-jefferson.jpg?w=584&h=636.
(2) Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, January 29, 1787, accessed April 13, 2014, http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-07-02-0181.
(3) Portrait of Abigail Adams, photograph, accessed April 29, 2014, http://www.whatsoproudlywehail.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Abigail-Adams-c.-1800-by-Jane-Stuart.jpg.
(4) George Washington to Henry Lee, October 31, 1786, The George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799, Library of Congress, accessed April 2, 2014, http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field(DOCID+@lit(gw290026)).
(5) Portrait of George Washington, image, accessed April 29, 2014, http://www.mountvernon.org/sites/mountvernon.org/files/images/GW_Stuart-CT-6437.jpg.
(6) Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, February 22, 1787, accessed April 13, 2014, http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/presidents/thomas-jefferson/letters-of-thomas-jefferson/jefl55.php.
(7) Letter by Thomas Jefferson, "To William S. Smith Paris, Nov. 13, 1787," November 13, 1787, accessed April 1, 2014, http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/presidents/thomas-jefferson/letters-of-thomas-jefferson/jefl64.php.
(8) Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, photograph, accessed April 29, 2014, http://santitafarella.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/thomas-jefferson.jpg?w=584&h=636.