Did Shay's Rebellion Really Exist?
“Yet where does this anarchy exist? Where did it ever exist except in the single instance of Shays’ rebellion?” Shays Rebellion was a period of time where farmers stole arms from the government and forcefully took over large areas of land. They rebelled because they were being put in jail for being unable to pay off their taxes. Although many will argue that Shays and his followers were freedom fighters, nevertheless they were irresponsible rebels because they were led under false ideas, many saw them as violent criminals, and they were put in this situation by fault of their own.
Thomas Jefferson was a very neutral source at the time, as he was in Paris when all of Shays’ rebellion was happening. He clearly saw those participating in Shays’ Rebellion as rebels and anarchists. Jefferson states in Document C, “The British have so long hired their newspapers to repeat every form of lies about our being in anarchy, that the world has at length believed them, and we have believed them ourselves. Yet where does this anarchy exist? Where did it ever exist except in the single instance of Shays’ rebellion?” As you saw from this evidence he clearly stated that those partaking in Shays’ rebellion were anarchists and rebels. The fact that …show more content…
She states, “The men are ignorant, restless criminals without conscience or morals. They have led other men under false ideas that could only have been imagined.” It appears that Mrs. Adams sees them as misled men who have become criminals and were persuaded into false ideas and bad principles by others. Due to the fact that this source is actually a primary source, a letter to Thomas Jefferson, she would have no reason to lie. Rather, just the opposite, she would probably even express her feelings even more truly as she was speaking in a place where she felt secure and able to express herself freely. She was speaking the truth and nothing but the truth, and
Thomas Jefferson was a very neutral source at the time, as he was in Paris when all of Shays’ rebellion was happening. He clearly saw those participating in Shays’ Rebellion as rebels and anarchists. Jefferson states in Document C, “The British have so long hired their newspapers to repeat every form of lies about our being in anarchy, that the world has at length believed them, and we have believed them ourselves. Yet where does this anarchy exist? Where did it ever exist except in the single instance of Shays’ rebellion?” As you saw from this evidence he clearly stated that those partaking in Shays’ rebellion were anarchists and rebels. The fact that …show more content…
She states, “The men are ignorant, restless criminals without conscience or morals. They have led other men under false ideas that could only have been imagined.” It appears that Mrs. Adams sees them as misled men who have become criminals and were persuaded into false ideas and bad principles by others. Due to the fact that this source is actually a primary source, a letter to Thomas Jefferson, she would have no reason to lie. Rather, just the opposite, she would probably even express her feelings even more truly as she was speaking in a place where she felt secure and able to express herself freely. She was speaking the truth and nothing but the truth, and