What was the name of the armed uprising in Western Massachusetts by debtors seeking lower taxes?

Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising that occurred in Western Massachusetts in the late 1780s, primarily from 1786 to 1787. The rebellion was led by Daniel Shays and was primarily fueled by widespread economic distress among local farmers and debtors who faced harsh tax burdens and aggressive debt collection practices. The economic instability following the American Revolution created conditions where many farmers found it increasingly difficult to pay taxes, which were often levied in hard currency that they lacked.

The uprising is significant because it highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, particularly the inability of the federal government to respond to such domestic unrest. Shays' Rebellion prompted calls for a stronger central government, which ultimately contributed to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. The rebellion serves as an important example of early American social and economic challenges and illustrates the tensions between economic classes during this period of burgeoning democracy.

In contrast, other events like the Newburgh Conspiracy involved military officers in a grievance against Congress concerning their pay, Bacon's Rebellion was a conflict primarily over land and governance in Virginia in the late 17th century, and the Whiskey Rebellion arose from tax protests in the 1790s that were distinct in