Maps

Maps offer another way of viewing Shays’ Rebellion and its significance. Some of the maps below were created in the 18th century; other maps were created for this website. All offer different visual and geographical perspectives on the people and events connected to Shays’ Rebellion.

Click a map below to view and explore it.

Historic Maps

Map of the Springfield Arsenal, 1801
This map fragment depicts the buildings and grounds of the United States Arsenal at Springfield, Massachusetts, 15 years after Shays’ Rebellion.

Massachusetts in 1795 by Samuel Lewis
Samuel Lewis made the first map of the state of Massachusetts, published in 1795 by Matthew Carey.

“Map Of The Four New England States” by Norman and Coles
Norman and Coles published this early wall map of the four New England states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island in 1785. At that time, Massachusetts encompassed what would by 1820 become the state of Maine, and the state boundaries of New Hampshire included counties of what would become the 14th state, Vermont.

Map of Troop Movements During Shays’ Rebellion
The Reverend Ezra Stiles, the president of Yale College, drew this map of troop movements during Shays’ Rebellion.

Graphic Maps

Massachusetts Towns Vote to Ratify the Constitution in 1788
This map shows which towns in Massachusetts voted to ratify the Constitution and which did not. The map also identifies towns which refused to ratify, their residents actively supporting Shays’ Rebellion.

The Action at the Arsenal
This map shows the movement of government militia and Regulators before, during, and immediately following the action at the Springfield Arsenal.

The Events of Shays’ Rebellion - A Visual Sequence
This sequence of maps offers a step-by-step view of the events that became known as Shays’ Rebellion.

Top of Page