The main cause of the Whiskey Rebellion was the excise tax on whiskey. In 1791, the United States government, under the administration of President George Washington, passed an excise tax on distilled spirits, including whiskey. This tax was established to help pay off the debt accumulated during the Revolutionary War. However, this tax particularly impacted western farmers, as they often converted their surplus grain into whiskey as a way to transport and sell their crops. The imposition of the tax led to widespread opposition and resistance, culminating in the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.
