Shays’ Rebellion started formally in 1786. Daniel Shays and other farmers in central Massachusetts were revolting against high taxes and debt policies. At that time if people could not pay their debts, they were put in prison. The resistance was broken around February 1787, and the last vestiges concluded in June 1787. Some experts believe that Shays’ Rebellion influenced members of the Constitutional Convention. Older children could learn more at: Shays’ Rebellion.
The Philanthropist, the first abolitionist newspaper, was printed in 1817. Charles Osborn published the newspaper in Mount Pleasant, Ohio.
Karen Hesse (born Baltimore, Maryland, 1952) has written at least twenty books for children. Her must-read book Letters from Rifka earned the 1992 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Older Readers. Her Out of the Dust received both the 1998 Newbery Medal and the 1998 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Children could visit her blog at: Karen Hesse.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (born Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1809; died Boston, Massachusetts, October 7, 1894) was a polymath and poet. He was famous for his charm and wit. In 1830 he wrote a poem, Old Ironsides, that saved the USS Constitution (still in commission) from being destroyed. Children can read some of his works at: Project Gutenberg.
John Locke (born Wrington, United Kingdom, 1632; died High Laver, United Kingdom, October 28, 1704) was a philosopher. Thomas Jefferson was greatly influenced by Locke. Idea: Children could read more about Locke’s philosophy at: Project Gutenberg. Then they could look for strands of that philosophy in the Declaration of Independence.