The Whiskey Rebellion

American History Hit

History Hit

America, History

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 14 November 2022

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Whiskey Tax, imposed in 1791, was the first federal tax on a domestic product by a United States government. It was introduced by Alexander Hamilton to pay the interest on war bonds that had been issued to wealthy backers of the the American Revolution. But many Whiskey distillers in Western Pennsylvania refused to pay a tax that would only benefit a few rich bond holders. Over the course of three years, there were attacks on federal and local tax collectors and the region became a law unto itself. A situation only suppressed, as William Hogeland tells Don, by President George Washington gathering together a militia of 12,000 men and marching to Western Pennsylvania .

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Transcript

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0:00.0	It is July 15th, 1794.
0:05.0	Federal Marshal David Lennox has been delivering subpoenas to whiskey distillers in Pennsylvania,
0:10.0	who have refused to pay the whiskey tax, the first domestic product tax imposed by the United
0:16.2	States government.
0:17.8	Lennox arrives at a farm about 10 miles south of Pittsburgh, accompanied by local
0:22.2	tax inspector General John Neville.
0:25.4	Suddenly warning shots are fired in their direction, forcing both to flee.
0:29.5	Neville returns to his mansion, Bower Hill.
0:32.1	Lennox returns to Pittsburgh.
0:34.0	The next day, a local militia of around 30 men surround Neville's fortified home
0:39.0	and demand the surrender of Lennox, who they believe is hiding inside.
0:44.0	Neville shoots one of the men, mortally wounding him.
0:47.0	The militia opened fire but are forced to retreat by those defending Neville's home.
0:51.0	But the fight is not over. The militia returned the following day, now 600 men strong.
0:57.0	Neville has by now fled the house and is hiding in a nearby ravine.
1:01.0	Women and children are allowed to leave the house before both sides
1:04.4	begin firing at each other again. By end of day, Neville's house will have been burnt to the
1:09.5	ground and its occupants finally surrendered.
1:15.0	So ended the Battle of Bower Hill,
1:34.5	one of the flash points of what will become known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Good day. I'm Don Wildman and this is American History Hit. Thanks for joining us. Death and taxes, as the old saying goes, are the only sure things in life. Can't do much
1:39.4	about death sadly, but here in America doing something about taxes is a way of life for many people.
1:46.2	It is the rallying point for political parties, fuels campaigns, empowers causes, extremists
	...

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