The Whiskey Rebellion


Posted May 30, 2021 by FrazerOn

When new U.S. federal government took office in 1789 following the ratification of the Constitution of the United States, it had to deal with the $2.5 million debt, as Keane (2006) states.

 
The Beginning of the Rebellion
Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, intended to use this debt to create a financial system that could help America achieve prosperity and national unity, in accordance with the GlobalSecurity.org. He urged Congress to consolidate federal and state debts into one debt, which would be provided by the federal government. Congress approved the idea in June and July 1790.
It was necessary to find a source of revenue to pay bondholders. By December 1790, Hamilton had proposed to impose a tax on the production of hard liquor. It was the first tax levied by the national government on domestic products. The tax on whiskey, which is sometimes called "the law of whiskey", came into power in March 1791. In November 1791, George Washington approved the demarcation of tax districts, appointed tax collectors and determined their salary.
The Rebellion itself
The tax on whiskey immediately became the subject of controversy. Many frontiersmen believed that the tax was initially directed against the people of the west. Whiskey was a popular drink, and farmers often used their own small distillers as a source of the additional income. Farmers who lived to the west of the Appalachians distilled grain surplus into the whiskey. The latter was easier and cheaper to transport through the mountains compared to the inconvenient transportation of grain. They believed that the tax on whiskey would make them less competitive than the eastern grain producers. In addition, there was always a shortage of cash in border areas, so whiskey was often used as a product for an exchange.
Many residents of the western states filed a petition against the imposition of the tax on whiskey. When it was declined, some residents of the western Pennsylvania started to organize conventions demanding the abolition of the law. The Pittsburgh convention was governed by Hugh Henry Brackenridge who sought to prevent the violence. The participants of the gathering sent a petition to the Assembly of Pennsylvania and the U.S. House of Representatives. However, it did not lead to significant progress.
In August 1792, a second convention was held where the participants discussed the actions to resist the tax on whiskey. The Association of Mingo Creek dominated the meeting and put forward radical demands. As a result, this convention was much more radical than the first one. They formed committees and seized control over the local militia. The resistance reached its peak in 1794. In May of that year, a federal District Attorney William Rawle summoned to court more than 60 Pennsylvanian owners who had not paid the tax.
Fight for Bower Hill
On July 16, about 30 militiamen from Mingo Creek surrounded the fortified house of General John Neville, Bower Hill. They demanded to see the federal marshal, who they believed was inside. Rebels detachment consisted of about 600 men under the command of Major James MacFarlane, a veteran of the War for Independence. They had to fight against several dozens of soldiers of the regular army from Pittsburgh under the command of Major Abraham Kirkpatrick, who was, according to Gideon, a husband of John Nevilles sister-in-law. After brief firefight, the number of victims at Bower Hill was not completely clear. MacFarlane and two militiamen were killed. One of the soldiers of the regular army might have died of wounds received in the battle. The rebels released the soldiers. Kirkpatrick, Lenox and Neville were captured, but, later, they ran away.
The March to Pittsburgh
On August 1, about 7,000 people gathered on Braddocks Field. It was the largest gathering of protesters. The crowd consisted mostly of landless poor. Most of them did not own distillers. On August 14 a convention of six districts that was held in Parkinsons Ferry adopted a number of resolutions. On August 7, Washington made an official announcement, "with a sense of deep regret" that he would use army forces. He also ordered the rebels of the western Pennsylvania to go home before September 1.
The End of the Rebellion
The militia of 13000 soldiers, according to PBS website, was gathered in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania. The rebellion was over, when in October 1794 the army entered Pennsylvania. About 20 rebels were arrested, and the rest fled to the west. Ultimately, a federal grand jury charged 24 people with treason. Most of the accused ran away, so only ten people were present on the trial.
To summarize all mentioned above, the Whiskey Rebellion in the U.S began in 1791 like a protest against the tax system, which was introduced in the United States in 1791 during the administration of George Washington. The resistance started in July 1794 in Pennsylvania, U.S., with the arrival of tax collectors. More than five hundred people attacked the fortified home of the tax inspector John Neville. After he had shot one of the attackers, the building was burned. Upon the arrival of 13 000 of militiamen led by the President, the rebels went home. About 20 people were arrested, but they later were either acquitted or pardoned. However, the collection of the whiskey tax did not become easier, and many people in the West continued to shy away from paying it. Alcohol tax was canceled by Thomas Jefferson's Republican Party in 1801. The Whiskey Rebellion was the check of the new government's ability and willingness to suppress resistance to federal laws. The following case demonstrated that the new government had the determination and ability to suppress violent resistance to the laws and the society met it with approval. The event is considered to be one of the key events in the formation of political parties in the U.S.

by Frazer Oneal writer at https://millionessays.com/synopsis-writing-services.html
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Last Updated May 30, 2021