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Shay's Rebellion Dbq Essay

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The Shay’s Rebellion, as well as economic depression in the United States, opened doors for protests and questions regarding the effectiveness of the Articles of Confederation. The question of whether a powerful central government was necessary to provide citizens fundamental rights caused deliberation among officials. After years of debate, the Articles of Confederation was overturned, resulting in the establishment of the United States Constitution. The Constitution, perceived as a supreme document, served as a solution to the defects of the Confederation. In 1787, the same year the Constitution was ratified, an essay was written, presumably by Robert Yates. Adopting Brutus as a pseudonym, Yates expressed his disapproval of the Constitution, …show more content…

He argued against the ratification of the United States Constitution as it would derange the distribution of power between the federal and state governments. Throughout the entirety of the essay, he discussed how “a country of such immense extent” could not operate as a single government. A free republic governing over the vast area would fail to “attend to the various concerns and wants of its different parts," while the people fail to come together to discuss, conceive and decide on their wills. The extent of the United States prevents satisfaction to the citizens’ wills, further complicating the duties of the representatives. Substantially, the number of citizens would increase over time, challenging representatives to “declare the sentiments of the people” without arousing conflicts. Emerging the states would also prevent "full, fair, and equal representation of the people." By locating power in the states, the concerns, interest, and wants are much easily regarded, satisfying the citizens. He spoke on behalf of the citizens, commenting on the importance of being acquainted with the leaders. Without this familiarity, the people would lose their confidence in the government's leadership. Considering the size of the United States, the people would encounter problems when measures are taken and …show more content…

He rejected any ideas of the possibilities of the Constitution subsisting. Yates, throughout the majority of the essay, argued against the Constitution and provided reasons as to why he relied heavily on state sovereignty. He nonetheless formally addressed his position, supporting his arguments with details and referencing historical accounts. He was subjective by essentially noting the negative consequences of a powerful government. He omitted any advantages and benefits the Constitution might bring

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