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Post-Revolutionary War Dbq

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From one perspective war has always been the same, technology may improve or philosophies may change, but wars are started by those in power and fought by the poor. The results now may be somewhat different from 1775, post-Revolutionary war time with rebellions like Shay’s Rebellion, but the various reasons for the poor to join the military have stayed relatively the same. In 1775, Revolutionary leaders quickly found that in order to win the war they would need to accept soldiers other than white property owners, so they turned to white poor and middle class. The only problem now for the leaders was convincing the people that their cause was worth fighting for, and to persuade them they promised the poor the opportunity to rise in both rank, and social statues. Next, they offered them pay, and once they had increased their rank and the war was over they may be able to obtain superior jobs them before. Howard Zinn says “In fact, the military became a place of promise for the poor, who might rise in rank, acquire some money, and change their social status.”(1) Finally, they offered them adventure and self fulfillment of service. …show more content…

Low ranking soldiers were starving and during the winter they were freezing. Only higher ranking soldiers were paid regularly, and after the war they also received half pay for life, while others were forced to pay taxes they couldn’t afford. This resulted in Shay’s Rebellion. Zinn quotes Plough Jogger who supported the rebellion “‘I have been greatly abused, have been obligated to do more than my part in the war; been loaded with class rates, town rates, province rates…’"(7) The men that served in the war were then forced to give money, property, and possessions to the same men who wouldn’t pay them. When they spoke their minds and retaliated, the government punished them without addressing their

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