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Daniel Shays: Rebel Or Rebel?

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As Thomas Jefferson wrote, “...what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let the people take arms.” In January 1787, a group of farmers lead by Daniel Shays protested in Massachusetts, because they were upset about unfair taxing laws and because of them, lost their property, couldn’t make money, and were sent to jail. They protested by taking over the government’s arsenal. Although some may argue that Daniel Shays and his followers were rebels because of their controversial methods, nevertheless Shays and his followers were freedom fighters, because they had a valid reason for what they did, the laws were unfair, and they were just trying to get their rights. …show more content…

The American farmers were men who fought in the Revolutionary War and were owed money for their service. A farmer’s salary wasn’t much so they could barely afford to pay their taxes. To top it off, the money they were paying for taxes was being used incorrectly. According to Daniel Gray in a speech he made December 7th, 1786, “Money from taxes and fees should be used to pay off the foreign debt. Instead it is being used to pay off investments that are held by wealthy Americans.” This proves that they had a good reason for their actions as they were paying taxes they already could barely afford to pay, should have been getting their money for fighting for America, but instead were unknowingly helping the wealthy get more money or as Gray put it in his speech the, “rich get

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