Shays' Rebellion is not usually seen as playing a major role in the course of American history and how we got to where we are today, but in more than one way he changed America forever. The rebellion began with just a group of poor, unhappy farmers, but grew into mass protests with thousands of men, which led to the proclamation of the Articles of Confederation and began the creation of the Constitution. After the Revolutionary War ended in 1780, many soldiers had to turn to farming as a source of income for a living and received no compensation from the government for fighting in the war. Furthermore, after the war the government was forced to raise taxes more than it had ever done to account for the war debt. Unable to make much money from farming, farmers began to fall into debt. Boston authorities began arresting farmers and foreclosing on farms because they were unable to pay taxes. Many families were left without providers. Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays also saw many poor farmers like himself sent to rot in debtors' prison, and he knew that would soon be his fate. Shays began meeting with his supporters and discussing self-government and rebellion, and after a time a sizable group of farmers protested against the state government. These meetings were called county conventions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe first attempt to resolve their problems peacefully went nowhere. In the summer of 1786, conferences were held to determine a list of demands to be sent to Boston. The document included a proposed reforms and grievances that Boston needed to implement. Demands were made, but instead of being met, the poor farmers were ignored by the state government and taxation continued to raise funds to repay the debt. A legendary patriot Samuel Adams, who was now a state senator from Boston, called for an end to the county conventions. He called them useless, but the irony is that the acts of the county conventions were exactly like his rebellion against the English in the 1770s. Now that Shays had tried to get justice legally, they had to take it into their own hands. In 1786 Shays began training an army, mostly veterans of the Revolution. On September 29, 1786, in Springfield, Massachusetts, rebels marched on the courthouses with muskets and clubs. Shays ordered his men to load their muskets and charge towards the courthouse to close the courts. As long as the courts remained closed, debtor farmers could not be sent to prison. The Rebel Army closed courthouses in North Hampton, Concord, and Worcester. When news of the attacks reached Boston, Samuel Adams, who called the county conventions useless, declared that the leaders of the rebellion should be seized and hanged. Boston stated in the MILitia Act that if you were in the militia you could be sent to death and also if 12 people gathered together for a bad purpose they would be punished. This was the breaking point for the Shayzite and his army, and the rebellion continued to intensify. Former President George Washington also sent a letter to the government saying that if the rebels have real problems the government should address them. Samuel Adams ignored Washington and focused on ending the rebellion, sending 300 soldiers to hunt down the rebellion's leaders. The troops captured many of the leaders, but in doing so also wounded many, and rumors spread. Instead of calming down as they came.