Directions for Written Response #6

Did Shays Rebellion prove that the Articles of Confederation created a government that
was too weak?
1. Read Washingtons letter to Henry Knox and mark the text while you read.
2. Discuss with a partner why you highlighted what you did.
3. With a partner, answer the following questions in your notebooks:
Washingtons Letter to Knox
What danger did Washington envision when he wrote that if Shays Rebellion
succeeded it is not probable the mischiefs will terminate.
How did Washington explain his concept of a national government?
Explain the failures of the Articles of Confederation in light of Washingtons
criticisms that it was not only slow debilitated thwarted by every breath.
4. Read Jeffersons letter to a friend and mark the text while you read.
5. Discuss with a partner why you highlighted what you did.
6. With a partner, answer the following questions in your notebooks:
Jeffersons Letter
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Do you think he wanted to
see America form a strong central government? Why or why not?
According to Jefferson, have the colonies been peaceful or chaotic? Support your
answer with evidence from the document.
Jefferson thinks the people at the Constitutional Convention are overreacting to
Shays Rebellion. What does he worry they might do as they write the new
Constitution? (Note: this answer is not in the document; you need to think). Close
Reading
What does Jefferson mean when he says, The tree of liberty must be refreshed from
time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants?
7. Read Washingtons letter to Henry Lee and mark the text while you read.
8. Discuss with a partner why you highlighted what you did.
9. With a partner, answer the following questions in your notebooks:
Washingtons letter to Henry Lee
According to the first paragraph, how did Washington feel about Shays Rebellion?
According to Washington in the first paragraph, what did Shays Rebellion say about
our governmental system?
What did Washington mean when he stated Let us have a government by which our
lives, liberties, and properties will be secured; or let us know the worst immediately?
What was Washingtons solution to the problems in western Massachusetts? Note:
This letter was 3 months before Shays tried to storm the national arsenal
What did Washington predict would happen if his solution failed?
10. Read The excerpts from the Articles of Confederation and mark the text while
you read.
11. With a partner, answer the following questions in your notebooks:

Articles of Confederation
Article 1: What is the name of the new country?
Article 2: What does it mean for each state to remain sovereign?
Article 3: What three reasons are given for the states entering a firm league of
friendship?
Article 5: How many delegates from each state will be sent to Congress to meet?
How many votes will each state receive?
Article 8: Who is responsible for getting taxes for the government?
Article 9: List the powers of the United States in Congress (i.e. National
Government). What must the United States in Congress have in order to do any of
these things?
Article 13: What is required for any part of the Articles of Confederation be changed
12. With a partner, use the map that details towns that voted to ratify the Constitution
in Massachusetts to answer the following questions in your notebooks:
Map of Massachusetts
How many towns voted to ratify the Constitution?
Where were most of these towns located?
How many towns voted not to ratify the Constitution?
Where were most of these towns located?
Which types of people do you think lived in the eastern part of the state? Which
types of people do you think lived in the western part of the state?
What does this map tell you about Shaysite towns?
Does this map lead you to believe that most people in the state were in favor of the
Articles of Confederation, or in favor of the Constitution?
Homework: Write a 1-1 1/2 page paper that answers the question, Did Shays Rebellion
prove that the Articles of Confederation created a government that was too weak? Your
answer to this question should be based on what you have learned in chapter 8, including
the events that led up to Shays Rebellion and the federal governments response to the
incident. You should have an introduction with background information and a clearly
stated thesis. You should have 3 body paragraphs with a MINIMUM of 3 quotes. Lastly,
your paper should include a conclusion paragraph (total of 5 paragraphs).