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Shays, Daniel
Shays, Daniel (1747?–1825) Revolutionary War army officer and insurgent. A Massachusetts farmer, Shays rose through the ranks of the Continental army from 1775 to 1780. He was promoted to sergeant in recognition of his bravery at Bunker Hill in 1775, and in 1779 he was commissioned a captain in the Continental army. In 1777 he received a ceremonial sword from the Marquis de Lafayette in recognition of his valor at Saratoga. In 1780 Shays left the army and returned to his struggling farm in western Massachusetts. He soon became a leader of the movement among farmers seeking redress of their grievances during economic hard times caused by deflation, hard currency shortages, and lack of credit. In 1786 fighting broke out between Shays's followers and the local militia after the farmers tried to block the local courts from sitting and demanded tax and debt relief. The militia put down the insurgency by the disorganized farmers with ease; many were captured and the others sent to their homes. After the failure of Shays's Rebellion to win any relief for the farmers, Shays hid in Vermont and later moved to New York, where he continued to farm.
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"Shays, Daniel." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Shays, Daniel." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-ShaysDaniel.html "Shays, Daniel." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-ShaysDaniel.html |
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Daniel Dunglas Home
Daniel Dunglas Home , 1833–86, Scottish-American spiritualist medium, b. Edinburgh, Scotland. He was taken to the United States when a small child. At age 13 he claimed to have discovered his gifts for dealing with spirits, and from 1850 to his death he had a triumphant career as a medium, always retaining his amateur status by refusing money, although he did accept expensive gifts. In his drawing room séances furniture moved with no apparent cause, ghostly hands appeared, and furniture and Home himself would levitate in the air. There was much dispute about the validity of these highly physical manifestations of spirits. Though numerous efforts were made to expose him, none was successful.
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"Daniel Dunglas Home." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Daniel Dunglas Home." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Home-Dan.html "Daniel Dunglas Home." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Home-Dan.html |
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