Whiskey Rebellion

The Whiskey Rebellion was a 1791–1794 uprising in western Pennsylvania against a federal excise tax on whiskey, suppressed by troops sent by President George Washington.

Whiskey Act of 1791: A federal law that imposed an excise tax on distilled spirits, including whiskey. Its tax prompted the resistance that became the rebellion.
John Neville: A federal tax inspector in western Pennsylvania whose home was attacked during the Whiskey Rebellion. His role as an excise collector made him a target of armed resistance.
Federalism in the United States: A system of government in which authority is divided between national and state governments. The response demonstrated the national government’s capacity to enforce its laws within a state.
Gallitzen's Settlement: A Catholic community in western Pennsylvania founded by John Baptist Purcell in the late eighteenth century. Its residents’ resistance to the excise brought religious and local tensions into the conflict.
Alexander Hamilton: An American statesman who served as the first secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Hamilton designed the federal revenue program that included the whiskey excise.
Bower Hill: The Pennsylvania estate of tax inspector John Neville, attacked by rebels in July 1794. The battle there marked a major escalation in the confrontation.
United States Constitution: The supreme law establishing the structure and powers of the United States government. The rebellion tested the stronger taxing and enforcement powers created by the Constitution.
Mingo Creek: A creek and settlement area in Washington County, Pennsylvania, associated with rebel meetings during the uprising. Its militia gatherings helped coordinate opposition to federal tax collection.
Western Pennsylvania: A region of Pennsylvania west of the Allegheny Mountains, including the area around Pittsburgh. The uprising’s strongest resistance developed in this frontier region.
George Washington: The first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He issued a proclamation and led federal forces assembled to suppress the uprising.

Linked from 13 pages