Why did Daniel Shays lead an attack on a federal arsenal?

Why did Daniel Shays lead an attack on a federal arsenal?

Attack on Springfield Arsenal Shays and other leaders made plans to raid the federal arsenal in Springfield to procure weapons. On the snow-covered morning of January 25, 1787, 1,200 men approached the arsenal. As they approached the arsenal, shots were fired at Shays and his men.

What was Daniel Shays fighting for?

In August 1786, Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays led an armed rebellion in Springfield, Massachusetts to protest what he perceived as the unjust economic policies and political corruption of the Massachusetts state legislature.

Why did the farmers attack the federal arsenal?

On this day in 1787, 2,000 farmers from western Massachusetts attacked the new federal arsenal at Springfield. Western farmers had made economic sacrifices during the Revolution, and they were outraged when creditors demanded that they pay their debts immediately.

What’s a federal arsenal?

Built between 1825 and 1830, the arsenal consisted of a foundry for the manufacturing of small arms and field pieces, a gun-carriage house for the storage of field artillery, and a stable. Federal troops occupied the arsenal until the outbreak of the Civil War.

What did the farmers in Shays Rebellion want?

The farmers wanted the Massachusetts government to protect them from their creditors, but the state supported the lenders instead. As creditors threatened to foreclose on their property, many of these farmers, including Revolutionary veterans, took up arms.

Why did Shays Rebellion lead to a call for a stronger national government?

Shays’s Rebellion showed that the government was too weak if it could be brought down by a few farmers blocking a court house. Now it was the Federal government’s responsibility which meant that everyone in the country would have to pay taxes.

What did John Brown do with the seized weapons?

His plan was to instigate a major slave rebellion in the South. He would seize the arms and ammunition in the federal arsenal, arm slaves in the area and move south along the Appalachian Mountains, attracting slaves to his cause.

What are arsenal weapons?

An arsenal is a large collection of weapons and military equipment held by a country, group, or person. Russia is committed to destroying most of its nuclear arsenals. countable noun. An arsenal is a building where weapons and military equipment are stored.

Why was Daniel Shays a good leader?

Captain Shays, as he was known to his neighbors, was respected because of his military service during the war. Many people believed that he was a good town leader, and that he would take care of them in their dealings with the state and federal governments.

Was Daniel Shay a patriot or traitor?

Daniel Shays was one of eighteen men convicted of treason. He stayed in Vermont for about a year until, like many of the rebels, he was given a pardon. Upon his return to Massachusetts he was infamously known as a traitor.