1. “Good God!…Not withstanding the boasted virtue of America, we are far gone in every thing that is ignoble and bad.” —George Washington
Men Fighting During Shays‘ Rebellion

2. Shays’ Rebellion August 1786-June 1787 Daniel Shays  Am. Rev. veteran
“What a triumph for our enemies…to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves.”
August 1786-June 1787
Daniel Shays  Am. Rev. veteran
4,000 member militia called out to contain
6+ people killed, dozens wounded, 2 hanged
"You talk, my good sir, of employing influence to appease the present tumults in Massachusetts. I know not where that influence is to be found, or, if attainable, that it would be a proper remedy for the disorders. Influence is not government. Let us have a government by which our lives, liberties, and properties will be secured, or let us know the worst at once."
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
the rural disturbances and the inability of the central government to fund troops in response made "the inefficiency of the Federal government [become] more and more manifest."

3. Calls for Action In , Virginia called for a convention at , Maryland *
Delegates from only states showed up!
Hamilton called for Congress to summon a convention to meet in Philadelphia the next year *
On May 25, , 55 representatives (12 states) met in Philadelphia to discuss government  
Hoped to save the revolutionary idealism and make it into a strong political structure
George Washington elected leader