American Centuries

Pocumtuck Valley
Memorial Association

American Centuries > Lessons > History Lessons By Teachers > Shays’ Rebellion – Catalyst for the Constitution

Shays’ Rebellion – Catalyst for the Constitution

Details

Author
Joan O'Brien
Topic/Subject Area
Civil Rights, Protest, Dissent
Historical Era
Revolutionary America, 1763–1783, The New Nation, 1784–1815
Grade Level
Elementary (K–5)
Creation Date
2010
Last Revision Date
2024

Related items

About This Lesson

Summary and Objective

Students will understand that mounting grievances in Massachusetts led to Shays’ Rebellion and contributed to the creation of the Constitution. They will show their understanding by writing a newspaper article or creating a poster describing Shays’ Rebellion and its causes.

Materials & Resources

Collection Items
Books
Websites

Teaching Plan

  1. Previous class period: Read and discuss text pages about the Articles of Confederation. Introduce the idea that after the Revolution, farmers who returned to their homes found they could not pay the taxes imposed by the state, and their belongings were being taken to pay the debts, as ordered by the courts.
  2. Using a textbook such as History Alive! America’s Past, or a summary from a website such as Shays’ Rebellion and the Making of a Nation read aloud background information on the rebellion.
  3. Discuss primary sources – definition and differences in language that will be encountered. Divide class into 5 groups. Using the  primary sources from the American Centuries website (first five collection items listed under Materials & Resources), have each group read their document and list the grievances or events that led to the rebellion.
  4. Have each group share their findings with the class, guiding students to record the list of causes on a prepared sheet to be used as a resource for their project.
  5. On the Shays’ Rebellion and the Making of a Nation website, go to Historic Scenes and click on September 1786. Display page for the class or ask the students to access it. Read over the information and discuss issues from the perspective of the government and the Regulators. Be sure to use interactive elements.
  6. View “Remarks and Observations” by Justin Hitchcock from American Centuries website (page 77). Discuss why a new Constitution was needed.
  7. Post-lesson: Using the Shays’ Rebellion and the Making of a Nation website, under Artifacts and Documents, click on “Dear Friend” and view the letter from William Shepard to James Bowdoin regarding events at the Arsenal. Discuss the sequence of events of the rebellion.
  8. Assessment: Students will create a poster or write a newspaper article describing the events and problems leading to Shays’ Rebellion and the rebellion itself. The poster may be hand written and drawn or computer-generated. The article should be at least two paragraphs. Both should include the causes discussed in class and at least one illustration or map. Independent research may include the “Interactive Maps” under Maps and “January 25, 1787” under Historic Scenes, both on the Shays’ Rebellion and the Making of a Nation website. Finished projects will be shared with the rest of the class.