Which event began in the United States in 1791 after a federal whiskey tax?

The Whiskey Rebellion began in the United States in 1791 after the federal government imposed an excise tax on distilled spirits. The tax was part of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton’s plan to raise revenue and establish federal financial authority after the American Revolutionary War.

Small farmers in western Pennsylvania and nearby regions strongly opposed the measure. Many converted surplus grain into whiskey because it was easier to transport than bulky grain. They viewed the tax as favoring large eastern distillers and threatening their livelihoods. Resistance included intimidation of tax collectors and attacks on government property.

President George Washington called up a large militia force in 1794, and the federal response ended the armed resistance without a major battle. The episode demonstrated that the new federal government could enforce its laws under the Constitution.

The tax was later repealed in 1802. The rebellion is sometimes called the Whiskey Insurrection, but Whiskey Rebellion is its standard historical name.