Final answer:
The rebellion exposed the national government's inability to stop domestic insurrection, indicating a need for a stronger national authority capable of maintaining internal peace and representing the nation uniformly in foreign affairs. The correct answer is option: a)It was unable to stop a domestic insurrection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The weakness in the national government that the rebellion exposed was its inability to stop a domestic insurrection. During Shays' Rebellion, the inadequacy of the Articles of Confederation became evident as the federal government lacked the power to raise an army to quash the uprisings.
Not only did prominent figures of the time, such as George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, recognize the need for a stronger national government, but the rebellion also highlighted the government's impotence in maintaining peace and harmony within and between the states.
European nations, as per Thomas Jefferson's viewpoint, could perceive this weakness as a lack of diplomatic strength, suggesting the necessity for the United States to present itself as a unified nation.