How did shays rebellion influence the writing of the US constitution?

Answer 1

Shay's Rebellion is most significant to the development of the U.S. Constitution, primarily due to the timing of it's occurrence. The new republican experiment in America it was argued was on the verge of failure. Border disputes between states, economic wars over taxation, and confusion over jurisdiction threatened to break apart the Confederation Congress in favor of regionalized governments forming two to four separate national governments. For example, in Massachusetts where the rebellion was occurring there was discussion that the New England states would form their own nation, as would the Mid-Atlantic and the Southern states. The rebellion itself was greatly embellished at the time, with initial reports indicating that Daniel Shay's had as many as 12,000 men prepared to march on Boston. Most historians now have found that the number was closer to 1,200, and that they were in no way capable of a successful march. However, the military implications aside, the rebellion convinced many prominent Americans that the Articles of Confederation needed amending, or a radical change in favor of a unified national government. Shay's Rebellion became the catalyst that prompted James Madison to solicit, and convince George Washington to lend his prominence to a convention that would discuss the amending of the Articles. In fact, Shay's Rebellion, in perhaps a stronger way than Madison's argument coaxed Washington from retirement, and that Convention did occur, and ultimately became the Constitutional Convention creating the U.S. Constitution.

Answer 2

The strength of the federal government helped to put the rebellion to rest. Shay's Rebellion is thought to be one reason why people rallied behind the Constitution.