what was shays rebellion

Shays Rebellion was an armed uprising that took place in Western Massachusetts and Worcester from August 1786 to February 1787. The rebellion was in response to a debt crisis among the citizenry and in opposition to the state government's increased efforts to collect taxes on both individuals and their trades. The rebellion was led by American Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays, who had participated in the protest at Northampton courthouse in late August. Shays' followers wanted to overthrow the Massachusetts government, whereas the state governing body felt capable of fending off the rebellion on its own. The rebellion was crushed by a military force organized by the state, funded by eastern merchants, in the winter of 1786-1787. The rebellion exposed the weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation and led many, including George Washington, to call for strengthening the federal government in order to put down future uprisings. While the rebellion disintegrated quickly, the underlying social forces that propelled such dramatic action remained.