USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -A group of protestors, led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays, began a 6 month rebellion by taking over the Court of Common Pleas in Northampton; the goal was to prevent the trial and imprisonment of debt-ridden citizens. James Bowdoin, the governor of Massachusetts, was clearly in the latter group.

Detailed explanation-2: -Although plans for a Constitutional Convention were already under way, the uprising in Massachusetts led to further calls for a stronger national government and influenced the ensuing debate in Philadelphia that led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in the summer of 1787.

Detailed explanation-3: -Shays’ Rebellion was extremely important for several reasons. Most importantly, the rebellion showed the inherent weakness of the federal government under the Articles of Confederation and helped directly lead to a new, stronger Constitution.