Final answer:
Daniel Shays was the farmer who led an uprising known as Shays' Rebellion, highlighting the need for a stronger national government.
Step-by-step explanation:
The farmer who started a rebellion was Daniel Shays. This Massachusetts backcountry farmer and Revolutionary War veteran led an uprising in 1786-1787 known as Shays' Rebellion. The unrest became a symbol of the need for a stronger national government to handle such domestic insurrections.
In response to economic hardships and political grievances, Shays and fellow debt-ridden farmers protested against perceived injustices by the Massachusetts state government, including high taxes and legal costs. Despite the modest actual size of the rebellion, with around 1,200 participants, fear of anarchy prompted calls for a stronger federal structure, eventually influencing the framing of the U.S. Constitution.