what was the flaw in the act passed tbh Congress that established a tax on whiskey?
a. it rewarded farmers who grew corn
b. it did not spread the tax burden evenly
c. it was similar to taxes Britain had proposed
d. it had to be collected in person by tax collectors
b. it did not spread the tax burden evenly
The flaw in the act passed by Congress that established a tax on whiskey was:
b. it did not spread the tax burden evenly
The flaw in the act passed by Congress that established a tax on whiskey was option B - it did not spread the tax burden evenly.
To determine this, we need to understand the context of the act and its impact. The act being referred to is known as the Whiskey Act of 1791, which introduced a tax on distilled spirits, including whiskey, in the newly formed United States.
To assess the flaw, we can go through each option one by one:
a. It rewarded farmers who grew corn: This option does not directly explain a flaw in the act. While it is true that the act benefited farmers who grew corn because whiskey production required corn, it does not point to a specific flaw.
b. It did not spread the tax burden evenly: This option is the correct answer. The Whiskey Act of 1791 imposed a tax on whiskey production, which placed a heavy burden on small farmers and distillers. Large-scale producers, who often had better resources and connections, were able to evade the tax or obtain exemptions. The unequal distribution of the tax burden created resentment and led to widespread opposition.
c. It was similar to taxes Britain had proposed: This option does not indicate a flaw in the act either. While the act did involve imposing a tax, the comparison to British taxes does not inherently point to a flaw.
d. It had to be collected in person by tax collectors: This option refers to the method of tax collection but does not necessarily indicate a flaw. The act did require that tax collectors personally visit distilleries to collect the tax, which was considered invasive and problematic. However, this factor alone is not the primary flaw of the act.
Therefore, the correct answer is b. It did not spread the tax burden evenly, as it led to significant inequality in taxation, favoring larger producers and burdening smaller ones.