The whiskey rebellion occurred in response to?

Answer 1

Whiskey was a cash crop to the western settlers. They could not ship their grain down the Mississippi River until it was opened to American trade in 1795. The cost of transporting the grain east over the mountains was too expensive. Converted into liquor, a horse could carry enough of the liquid to make the trip profitable. When Hamilton convinced Washington and Congress to pass a tax on whiskey, the profit to the western farmers dried up. Like Shays's Rebellion before, the western farmers rebelled against the tax by rioting in some of the river towns and roughing up the tax collectors. Washington, who had not supported the ideas behind Shays' Rebellion, saw an opportunity to show the power of the new federal government over the weakness of the Articles. Along with Hamilton, he led 15,000 troops to suppress the rebellion. Washington left the area when the farmers dispersed, but Hamilton rounded up several who were tried for treason and sentenced to death. Washington pardoned them, calling them "mental defectives." The rebellion was not much as far as military "battles" go, but the importance of the Whiskey Rebellion was political. The government asserted the power over the states to enforce Federal Laws by using troops, if necessary, that came from other states. Of course, the western farmers never supported the Federalists when they formed the Federalist Party.

Answer 2

opposition to Hamilton's excise tax

Answer 3

Alexander Hamilton placed a tax on alcohol APEX

Answer 4

The direct cause of the whiskey rebellion was the federal tax that was placed on whiskey production. Farmers grew corn which was expensive to ship and difficult to store, so they converted it to whiskey,which was easier to ship and store. They also made whiskey for their own use and to sell at their local taverns.

It did not seem right that a man could be taxed for something he made for himself and used by himself. Indeed, it could be argued that this tax amounted to an income tax which at that time was illegal under the US Constitution.

The tax cut into their profits and seemed to be an unfair burden placed only on them and their customers when the money was used to benefit the whole nation. The farmers on the frontier were already unhappy about the lack of protection from hostile Indians being provided by the federal government. Having recently fought the British over taxes, they were willing to take on the new federal government over this tax .

However, many historians believe that there was no actual rebellion, and that it was all made up by the Washington adminstration so the government would seem strong and powerful, something which was needed at that time.

Answer 5

The Whiskey Rebellion was a response from farmers, many of whom were war veterans of the Revolutionary War, against a tax on the whiskey the farmers made from their leftover grain and corn. This reaction was spurred because they felt they had no representation in this new legislation, and taxation without representation was something they'd literally just fought against.

Answer 6

farmers didn't want to pay taxes on distilled whiskey

Answer 7

opposition to Hamilton's excise tax

Answer 8

The tax on the whiskey

Answer 9

it placed a federal tax on liquor