Which event demonstrated the need for a stronger central government, contributing to the drafting of a new constitution?

• A. Boston Tea Party
• B. Whiskey Rebellion
• C. Shays' Rebellion
• D. The Stamp Act protests

Answer: (C)

Shays' Rebellion showed exactly why a stronger central government was needed. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government lacked the power to tax, fund troops, or regulate commerce, so it couldn’t effectively respond to armed unrest or protect the country from internal threats. When distressed farmers led a rebellion in Massachusetts, the federal government couldn’t mobilize a national army or raise funds to quell the violence, leaving the country to rely on state militias. This failure highlighted the weaknesses of a loose alliance and convinced many leaders that a stronger, more centralized authority was essential for order, defense, and financial stability. That realization helped spark the push to draft a new framework for the United States, one that would grant the federal government real powers to tax, regulate commerce, and provide for national defense. The other events—colonial protests against British policies and later challenges to federal enforcement—illustrate resistance and enforcement in different contexts, not the same catalyst for drafting a new constitution.