The Rebellion
The rebellion, for the most part, took place in the western frontier colonies. There was not a single southern colony that did not have its western frontier participate somewhat in the rebellion.
Most resistance to the tax came in the form of refusing to pay the tax. In more extreme cases, resistance came in the form of violence, mostly towards excise tax officers appointed to oversee the collection of the tax. Many people made sure that excise officers did not establish an office in their town or community, mostly by threatening anyone who would house the officers.
The primary area of rebellion and the first area to rebel was Pennsylvania, most notably the southwestern colonies. Resistance grew so great that political leaders of Pennsylvania called an assembly to discuss the matter in Pittsburgh, aptly named the Pittsburgh Assembly. Notable leaders of this congress were politicians such as Hugh Henry Brackenridge and William Findley, who hoped to prevent violence and reduce or restructure the tax to be more favorable to the people of western Pennsylvania, and did manage to approve a 1 cent reduction to the tax.
Despite these efforts, western farmers were still dissatisfied with the tax and continued resistance. A nonviolent resistance proved to be impossible to pursue, and eventually a tax collector in Washington County in Pennsylvania was tarred, feathered, and drove out of town on a rail. Similar events soon followed. After being threatened, if excise tax officers refused to depart from the town, locals would often subject them to humiliating acts or torture, such as tar and feathering. Most excise tax officers left towns shortly after they arrived, whether voluntary or involuntary.
Widespread resistance soon broke out in the western provinces of most states, and became so large that the tax went uncollected in 1791 and 1792. Later in 1792, after the tax had gone uncollected for some time, another convention was called to discuss the enforcement of the law. This assembly proved to be far more radical than the first convention, as moderators such as Brackenridge and Findley who negotiated for peace were did not attend. The convention was dominated by an organization known as the Mingo Creek association. They modeled their radical demands and resistance after the American Revolution, participating in many of the same activities and groups that the American rebels had only a decade earlier. Officials of the federal government, especially Alexander Hamilton, saw the convention and resistance as a grave threat to the authority of the federal government, and issued a proclamation denouncing rebellion threatening government action.
The height of the rebellion came after tax collector John Neville was threatened out of the inn he was staying in by the Mingo Creek association; shortly after the Mingo Creek association issued a warning to anyone who would house the inspectors or comply with the whiskey tax. Those who did not heed these warnings had their barns and distilleries burned down.
Most resistance to the tax came in the form of refusing to pay the tax. In more extreme cases, resistance came in the form of violence, mostly towards excise tax officers appointed to oversee the collection of the tax. Many people made sure that excise officers did not establish an office in their town or community, mostly by threatening anyone who would house the officers.
The primary area of rebellion and the first area to rebel was Pennsylvania, most notably the southwestern colonies. Resistance grew so great that political leaders of Pennsylvania called an assembly to discuss the matter in Pittsburgh, aptly named the Pittsburgh Assembly. Notable leaders of this congress were politicians such as Hugh Henry Brackenridge and William Findley, who hoped to prevent violence and reduce or restructure the tax to be more favorable to the people of western Pennsylvania, and did manage to approve a 1 cent reduction to the tax.
Despite these efforts, western farmers were still dissatisfied with the tax and continued resistance. A nonviolent resistance proved to be impossible to pursue, and eventually a tax collector in Washington County in Pennsylvania was tarred, feathered, and drove out of town on a rail. Similar events soon followed. After being threatened, if excise tax officers refused to depart from the town, locals would often subject them to humiliating acts or torture, such as tar and feathering. Most excise tax officers left towns shortly after they arrived, whether voluntary or involuntary.
Widespread resistance soon broke out in the western provinces of most states, and became so large that the tax went uncollected in 1791 and 1792. Later in 1792, after the tax had gone uncollected for some time, another convention was called to discuss the enforcement of the law. This assembly proved to be far more radical than the first convention, as moderators such as Brackenridge and Findley who negotiated for peace were did not attend. The convention was dominated by an organization known as the Mingo Creek association. They modeled their radical demands and resistance after the American Revolution, participating in many of the same activities and groups that the American rebels had only a decade earlier. Officials of the federal government, especially Alexander Hamilton, saw the convention and resistance as a grave threat to the authority of the federal government, and issued a proclamation denouncing rebellion threatening government action.
The height of the rebellion came after tax collector John Neville was threatened out of the inn he was staying in by the Mingo Creek association; shortly after the Mingo Creek association issued a warning to anyone who would house the inspectors or comply with the whiskey tax. Those who did not heed these warnings had their barns and distilleries burned down.