The American revolutionary war ended in September of 1783, but the Constitution of the United States of America was not formulated until 1787, and later signed in September of 1787. In the meanwhile, the thirteen original colonies had signed and ratified the Articles of Confederation which in essence, served as the first Constitution of the United States of America, before becoming superseded by the Constitution that rules our land today. At the time of our revolution, there were soldiers that having served in our armed forces found upon returning to their rural life as farmers, had suffered the inconveniences of a credit squeeze, or lack of monetary credit or currency, leading to seizures of their land itself, or found themselves in situations to which they were forced to declare bankruptcy to discharge debts.
Shay's rebellion was named after Daniel Shays who was alleged to have been the ring leader of four thousand men that in their protest of this perceived injustice took up arms in order to seize the Springfield Armory. They were met there by a militia that defeated them at Springfield, and additional skirmishes amongst them ultimately ended in defeat and the dissolution of Daniel Shays and his rebellious men. While to a certain degree Shay's rebellion was somewhat successful in that it led to a moratorium of certain debts and a reduction in interest rates, it's lasting legacy is that this insurgent action led to the call for a more formal declaration of the powers of a united and forceful National Government, because it was feared as stated by General Washington that: "If government shrinks, or is unable to enforce its laws; fresh maneuvers will be displayed by the insurgents – anarchy & confusion must prevail…"
The upshot of all this, is that Shay's rebellion set the tone within America, that in instances, even if apparently justified, that citizens, or bands of citizens, felt that they had been given short shrift that the taking up of arms against their State or State militia, or National Government, would not now, nor never, be permitted in this land. After all, the very purpose of our Declaration of Independence was a solemn Declaration, that made it absolutely crystal clear and forthright that in any state of oppression, that the people first must petition for redress, that further that those that desire to dissolve their political bands must declare formerly and specifically the causes that bring them to this said action, and further to it all, they must then unite in their alliance by offering forth to the Supreme Judge of all their lives, their fortunes, and their honor.
While there is little doubt that those that were part of Shay's rebellion had their valid points, the taking up of arms or the application of force to assert those rights, is a circumvention of the rule of law, to which having done so, the State was justified in taking the needful steps to suppress it. As it was said so wisely, a house divided against itself cannot stand, nor can a house be further broken down into many small pieces and principalities, because it will cease to be a house itself.