whiskey rebellion flag

The years after the founding of the United States of America were not as simple as many might have you believe. Money was scarce, and the fledging nation was trying everything it could to establish itself as an authoritative force. The first real test for the newly formed government was known as the Whiskey Rebellion. At the time, nearly 25 percent of the country's distilleries were owned by just 1 percent of the population. Because whiskey was so easy to transport, and because it was a commodity that almost everyone needed, it was often considered equivalent with cash. The United States government, under the instruction of then Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, imposed an excise tax on all distilled spirits. The goal of the tax was to help reduce the incurred debt from the American Revolution, but many farmers and distillers saw the tax as no different than the British taxes from which they had recently freed themselves. Tax collectors were sent throughout the country to