1. An Event That Changed America
Use the reading passage provided to answer the questions on the next slide. Good Luck!
(Bloom’s Taxonomy: Level IV. Analysis)

2. After you have the story put together…answer the following questions.
(Higher Order Thinking Skills-Bloom’s Taxonomy, Level II: Comprehension)
After the Revolutionary War, what problems was the United States having with Great Britain?
How was trade with Great Britain impacted after the war?
How was trade with Spain impacted after the war?
What impact did the “closed markets” have on farmers in the United States?
Why did farmers begin to rebel against the United States government?
What exactly did the farmers do when they rebelled?
How did the United States government respond to the rebellion?
Do you feel the farmers were justified in their acts of rebellion? Should the farmers have handled the situation differently? Could the US government handle things differently? 2

3. …WHICH MEANT THEY HAD LITTLE RESPECT FOR THE YOUNG UNITED STATES.
FURTHERMORE, GREAT BRITAIN FORCED AMERICAN MERCHANTS TO PAY HIGH TARIFFS ON EXPORTS AND IMPORTS…
…BECAUSE FARMERS COULD NO LONGER EXPORT THEIR GOODS TO THE WEST INDIES AND OTHER FOREIGN PORTS.
GREAT BRITAIN REFUSED TO ABANDON FORTS IN WHAT WAS NOW THE WESTERN TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES, AND…
FARMERS EVEN HAD TO HIRE BRITISH SHIPS TO TRANSPORT GOODS TO FOREIGN PORTS WHICH WAS VERY EXPENSIVE.
…WHICH MEANT THEY HAD LITTLE RESPECT FOR THE YOUNG UNITED STATES.
IF THAT WASN’T BAD ENOUGH, SPAIN CLOSED THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO U.S. FARMERS AND MERCHANTS MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR TRADE WITH FOREIGN MARKETS.
FOREIGN NATIONS KNEW THE UNITED STATES HAD A WEAK MILITARY AFTER THE WAR…
…IT DENIED U.S. SHIPS ACCESS TO THE TRADING PORT OF THE WEST INDIES.
AS A RESULT, PEOPLE BEGAN TO BUY LESS U.S. MADE GOODS.
…WHICH RAISED THE PRICE OF THOSE GOODS MAKING PRODUCTS LESS DESIRABLE TO BRITISH CONSUMERS.
THIS PRACTICE OF CLOSED MARKETS CRIPPLED THE U.S. ECONOMY…

4. …BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES SINCE THEY OWNED LAND.
DANIEL SHAY WAS OUTRAGED BY THIS TREATMENT OF FARMERS IN MASSACHUSETTS AND DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
FOR THAT MATTER, IF FARMERS COULD NOT PAY THESE TAXES, THEY WERE FORCED TO SELL THEIR PROPERTY OR SERVE TIME IN PRISON.
…SO STATE MILITIAS TOOK ACTION AND DEFEATED SHAY AND HIS REBELLION.
SHAY’S REBELLION SHOWED THE NATION HOW WEAK THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WAS…
IN MASSACHUSETTS ESPECIALLY, FARMERS FELL DEEP INTO DEBT…
HE ORGANIZED HUNDREDS OF MEN TO CLOSE DOWN COURTS IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND CAPTURE WEAPONS IN U.S. ARSENALS.
AMERICANS BEGAN TO CALL FOR A STRONGER NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. CHANGE WAS NEEDED
…BECAUSE IT FAILED TO PROTECT THE IDEALS OF LIBERTY AND THE “DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.”
THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WAS UNABLE TO ACT ON THIS MATTER BECAUSE IT HAD NO STANDING PERMANENT MILITARY FORCE…
THIS COMBINED WITH DIFFERENT TRADE PRACTICES IN DIFFERENT STATES HURT THE U.S. ECONOMY EVEN MORE.