Description

During George Washington’s presidency, veterans of the Revolution who were struggling for survival under a crushing economy felt betrayed by the new republic for which they had fought—and took up arms against their government.

Muskets blaze and cannons roar when veterans of the Revolution rebel against the new republic in the nation's first civil war, reenacted by the "living history" regiments of four New England states.

For students, teachers, and anyone fascinated by American history, this award-winning program brings conflicting viewpoints to life. James Madison, John Hancock, Noah Webster, Daniel Shays, and ordinary farmers and merchants alike were all stakeholders in shaping a better democracy out of America's Revolution.

"A Little Rebellion" fills in the blanks about the stormy decade between the Revolution and the Constitution, giving students a dramatic way to visualize and remember:

  The economic crisis in the new republic
  The powerlessness of the Continental Congress
  The “chain of debt” and the spread of unrest throughout New England
  The Constitutional Convention, with Madison's defense of the "Virginia Plan"
  The ratification of the new Constitution

"I SAW THESE HISTORIC EVENTS COME ALIVE BEYOND ALL MY EXPECTATIONS. I RECOMMEND IT WITH ENTHUSIASM to all who are either teaching or learning about the 'little rebellion' that served as a catalytic event in assembling the Convention that gave us our Constitution."
—James MacGregor Burns, Pulitzer Prize in History

"Your video on Shays' Rebellion was the highlight of our presentation in History—it brought the explanations in our textbooks to life. It also helped our class identify with the farmers' struggles and relate to their determined effort. Thank you for making such an outstanding film!"
—Cynthia R., high school student

Cast

Reenacted in historic locations by by the "living history" regiments of four New England states.

Festivals

C.I.N.E. Golden Eagle


American Film Festival Red Ribbon

Production Credits & Notes

Produced and directed by Randall Conrad and Christine Dall.

Production of this Special DVD Edition was funded by Mass Humanities.