The early years of the United States weren't wholly tranquil. The new nation was on rocky economic ground. Though paper money was in circulation, it wasn't worth much. Many people were suffering and didn't have a voice in government. These conditions gave rise to the rebellion led by former Continental army captain Daniel Shays, beginning in 1786. This volume explains what happened when Shays and more than one thousand followers attempted to capture a Massachusetts arsenal and how this rebellion led to the formation of a new and stronger federal government.