We are familiar with the US Constitution as it is our ruling document. However, the Constitution wasn’t the only ruling document nor the first. Prior to the US Constitution was the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was not very successful compared to the Constitution. It provided a weak centralized government contrary to what the Constitution proposed. The Articles of Confederation did not give Congress the authority to raise taxes to increase revenue. The full authority was given to the states. Because the Articles proved a weak government, Congress had to rely on the states to provide their revenue to the central government. This was essentially a congregation of friendship among the different states. The states, however, were able to raise taxes which would eventually receive backlash. This backlash is known as Shays Rebellion
The United States was left with heavy economic hardships after the Revolution. In addition to the war debt, American was now severed from all ties with the British. Massachusetts was hit the hardest due to the trade that was severed between the United States and the West Indies. Many businesses were hurt and among them which depended on trade were lumber and shipbuilding.
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The working farmers who were incept to pay their debts were then sent to prisons and would not be released from until the debts have been paid off. In response, the Massachusetts state legislation provided their insight on this crisis. However, their response was inadequate as it only raised taxes. America: A Narrative History states: “There the trouble was not too much paper money but too little, as well as high taxation.”