Shay’s Rebellion and the
Constitution by Mary Hull, 2000, Excerpts
Bands of pro-government men began roaming the countryside,
looking for the suspected leaders of the Regulators. Known as lighthorsemen,
these men were armed and dangerous. Civilians were beaten by the lighthorsemen
if they did not cooperate by turning over suspects. On December 2, 1786, a
group of lighthorsemen made up mostly of merchants and professionals from
Worcester County raided the homes of Regulator supporters in Shrewsbury and
injured several people.
The actions of the lighthorsemen outraged the country people
and convinced them that the government was oppressive. Lighthorsemen made the
regulators fear the tyranny of the government even more. And growing numbers of
Regulators began to compare the behavior of the Massachusetts government to
that of Great Britain before the Revolutionary War. Just as patriots had risen
up to fight the tyranny of England, the regulators began to think it might be
necessary to overthrow the state.
Governor Bowdoin issued warrants for the arrest of sixteen
Hampshire County Regulators, including Captain Daniel Shays.
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