Vaughan is trying to get across to us the reason behind the restoration of America"s economic status and government. The citizens of Massachusetts respected democratic values and with fundamental conservatism they were able to get their state out of the depression. The author"s main point is that Shay"s rebellion was a major event which caused many changes in the history of United States. This can be said to be his thesis because in the narrative, Vaughan describes the events of the rebellion, and later the outcomes of it.

             One of the portions of the narrative talks about how Shays" Rebellion made a tremendous impact on American government. The movement for a stronger central government had gained immense momentum from this dreadful rebellion. During the Constitutional Convention, the delegates proposed, argued, and compromised as they sought to construct an improved form of government. The problems of currency regulation, and debts and contracts immediately protruded. The new state legislature sharply mitigated both the causes of unrest and the punishments assigned to rebels. Even Daniel Shays, who led the party was pardoned. When the rebellion was over, peace and prosperity gradually returned to Massachusetts. Vaughan is also trying to state that the rebellion, in the long-run, was extremely beneficial. A country can"t preserve its liberties if the rulers aren"t warned from time to time that the people still uphold the spirit of resistance. An increasing number of Americans were concerned with how to make sure that a rebellious occurrence will never happen again. .

             I think the author conjectured his argument well. Vaughan really got into depth when he talked about details in Shays" rebellion. He explained the causes and effects of the insurrection, and why it had to happen. The depression weakened the economy and people in general. The demand for more paper money, tax relief, relief for debtors, and the end of imprisonment for debt was what these Shaysites were fighting for, but in the end was compensated.