Shays' Rebellion

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into their own hands.”6 This is when the idea for the Rebellion is decided upon and the need for a leader was eminent.

The Rebellion
The person that was chosen to lead the rebellion was Daniel Shays. Shays, born in Hopkinton Massachusetts, grew up as a farmer before he fought for his country in the War for Independence. During the War he fought in such key battles as the Battle of Lexington, Bunker Hill and Saratoga. For his success in battle he was awarded the rank of Captain and after the War returned to civilian life. After the War he held a political office in Pelham, Massachusetts but during the beginning of the rebellion his sympathies were with the farmers which is what brought him into the fight.7 The farmers decided that the person who should lead them into rebellion against their own government had to, in the words of a farmer, ”Be a firm leader and a man the is capable of keeping his head in case of emergency and I belive Daniel Shays is that such man.”8 So now the lines were drawn and a leader was pi...