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Whiskey Rebellion. 1794. Cause. The U.S. had a 25 million dollar debt from borrowing money. In 1789, Alexander Hamilton passed a on tax whiskey. It passed a tax on the very popular alcohol drink, whiskey. Also known as the Whiskey Act, came into law in 1791. Effect.
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Whiskey Rebellion 1794
Cause • The U.S. had a 25 million dollar debt from borrowing money. • In 1789, Alexander Hamilton passed a on tax whiskey. • It passed a tax on the very popular alcohol drink, whiskey. • Also known as the Whiskey Act, came into law in 1791.
Effect • Most farmers were not happy with the tax. • Farmers in the Western Frontier especially didn’t like it. • They felt like the tax “targeted” them. • The farmers that owned smaller farm owners also felt this way. • They felt that the larger farm owners didn’t have to pay nearly was much as they did. • Overall, no one was pleased with this tax.
Meetings • The U.S. government was getting scared by the thought of a rebellion happening. • They held a meeting to help this cause. • They appealed to the farmers that they would have a non-violent resistance. • Their appeals didn’t work.
Resistance • In 1791, some rebel farmers decided they were done with the tax. • On September 11th of 1791, a recently appointed tax collector was tarred and feathered by a disguised group of farmers. • An official was sent to help him, but he also got tarred and feathered. • The official was also whipped many times.
The Battle at Bower Hill • On July 16th, the rebels surrounded General Neville’s house. • General Neville was a Revolutionary War veteran, but had recently been appointed as a tax collector. • He lived on Bower Hill in a huge house. • The rebels surrounded is house and asked for his surrender. • He responded by firing a shot that mortally wounded Oliver Miller, who was a rebel.
Battle at Bower Hill • The rebels open fired on Neville’s house, but they were unable to hit Neville. • The next day, they returned to his house with a force of 600 men. • It was led by James Mcfarlane, a Revolutionary War veteran. • Neville was also set some men from the governments army.
Battle at Bower Hill • Both sides were firing back and forth, when Neville’s side held up a white flag. • McFarlane was coming over to negotiate, when a shot went off, killing McFarlane. • The rebels started firing until Neville’s force retreated.
March on Pittsburgh • On August 1st, a gathering of 7,000 rebels met at Bradock’s Field. • The rebels discussed what they were going to do about the tax. • Some of the rebels wanted to march across Pittsburgh with the flag they had created.
Government’s Actions • The U.S. government knew this had to be stopped. • U.S. delegates had many conferences, but finally decided to send commissioners to meet with the rebels and to raise up a militia army. • On August 7th, George Washington announced that the rebellion was going to be stopped by the militia.
Government’s Actions • Washington’s militia consisted of 12,950 men • The militia marched through the States arresting all the rebels. • The rebellion was slowly falling apart. • The rebellion collapsed as the militia army marched into Pennsylvania.
Legacy • When the government stopped the rebellion, it showed the people of the U.S. that the constitution was a success. • That the government was able to suppress a rebellion that had swelled to an enormous size. • The people of the U.S. now trusted the government a lot more.