Regulator Movement Research Paper

     During 1790-1860, there were many reformations taking place and many events that lead up to the reformation of this very inexperienced country, of America. All these events effected the United States different ways and caused many grievances for the young people living in America. In 1790 we firmly incorporated the first American cotton mill which led to the economic augmentation of the United States. In 1791 we established the Capital of the United States in Washington D.C., and Alexander Hamilton establishes the first bank of America. In 1794 in Pennsylvania there was an uprising called the Whiskey Rebellion. People were rejecting the taxes on their way of life, and that was whiskey.

The Whiskey Rebellion was a turning point in America's history that demonstrated the central government's willingness and ability to enforce its laws in spite of the obstacle of distance from its center of power.

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries colonial America experienced a number of rebellions by various groups for a variety of reasons. The protests took place in Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York. Each protest began for a different reason, however, all involved the discontent that some groups underwent in the colonies. Some of the most notable rebellions include Bacon's Rebellion, The Regulator Uprising, Leislor's Rebellion, Culpepper's Rebellion, and the Paxton Boys Uprising.

The demand for no taxation without representation was the primary force motivating the American revolutionary movement, and for many it became a symbol for democracy. Throughout the late 18th century, the British colony of America was oppressed by Parliament from "across the pond". This oppression included unequal rights compared to English citizens that lived on the mainland, unneeded taxation, and no representation in Parliament, which resulted in many laws that were unfavorable to the American colonists. It was this "taxation without representation" that was a powerful catalyst in firing up the American revolutionary movement. America was "all grown up", and no longer needed to be monitored on by Britain.

The issues that involved and caused the Whiskey Rebellion was due primarily to major economic and political concerns - westward expansion and a developing government. At the time, many of people were in search of land, and property they could settle on that the recently dismissed British and French could no longer occupy. Available land in the east was diminishing and so in turn, the population begin moving westward. Also, after the Treaty of Paris in 1783 and consequently the end of the American Revolution, created many changes. Lack of authority and resources to affirm authority (Ex. no more mass British army to fight off Indians), had its consequences. Nearly 80 percent of the federal budget was spent battling and removing Indians from the lands along the Ohio River, the most recently settled land by Americans (p.146). In order to compensate for this, Congress passed the tax on whiskey stills which affected mainly poor white farmers. Therefore, westward expansion and the riddance of the Indians, brought forth the infamous Whiskey Rebellion.

The action by the rebels in Shay’s Rebellion of stopping the judges from going into court was against law. The soldiers in the militia didn’t follow the law. The whole rebellion was against the law too. Eventually, the rebels in the Shay’s Rebellion were defeated. This was a warning for the people, reminding them do not have the thought of rebelling, or you will get defeated and maybe sentenced to death. During the Whiskey Rebellion, the farmers were angry about the whiskey tax policy, so they rebelled. Washington reacted by sending a trop of 13000 men to Pennsylvania and crashing down the revolt. It gave a warning to the people, that they should follow the law, but not ignored it or resisted against it. If they don’t, they would need to face the consequences of their action, such as a gigantic trop of 13000

There were many rebellions in the United States history, some peaceful and some violent. Shays' Rebellion in 1786 and the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794 are examples of two brutal rebellions that led to death of many innocent people. Rebellions can develop due to many conditions including unfair laws, unfair treatment, and a disagreement over a sensitive topic. The Shays' Rebellion showed the Articles of Confederation was too weak, while the Whiskey Rebellion proved the Constitution to be a strong framework of government.

In 1791, under the advisement of Alexander Hamilton, congress passed the whiskey tax. This tax, put a twenty-five percent tax on whiskey. Hamilton created this tax in hopes of the federal government gaining more money to help pay of the nation’s debt. However, in doing so, this angered many people, especially farmers in western Pennsylvania, because they distilled the extra grain they had to make whiskey and sell it to make extra income. These small operations in western Pennsylvania rebelled by erecting liberty poles and taring and feathering tax collectors. George Washington, who was president during this time, saw the outburst and decided to take action against the angered farmers. Washington gathered about 13,000 men from the militia to put an end to this rebellion. In doing so, Washington showed that the government help the power over the citizens. In The Whiskey Rebellion, by Thomas Slaughter, he describes different consequences that arise from the whiskey tax. Slaughter presents three main points, which include conflicts between the east and west, two political systems that begin to develop, and the actual rebellion.

In 1791 farmers tarred a tax collector and threatened to burn down houses.The Whiskey rebellion is what Alexander Hamilton called these events, it was farmers mostly in Pennsylvania rebelling against a whiskey tax. It was 1791, farmers rebelled against a whiskey tax, which later Washington led his army to stop, allowing him to empower his newly formed government.

(2A) The reason for partisan policies in the early republic were conflicts and compromises. The Shays’ Rebellion, 1786, as well as the Whiskey Rebellion, 1791, helped contribute to the United States of America’s first party system in the 1790s. Shays’ Rebellion was an armed uprising that took place around Springfield, Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays against alleged injustices against economic and civil rights. They believed that the reform was needed against aggressive tax and debt collection. The Whiskey Rebellion was a tax protest. It was the first tax implemented on a domestic product during the presidency of George Washington. It was to help raise revenue for the Revolutionary War debt. It taxed any

     The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 helped bring about the demise of the aristocratic Federalist Government in favor of the democratic Republican Government, concerned with the needs of all of its citizens.

In 1774 the citizens of the British-American colonies began to perform formal acts of revolt with the rejection of the Massachusetts government act. After that point, there were many revolutionary actions towards the mother country, be it protests, boycotts, the Boston Tea Party, or other similar behaviors. The aforementioned examples of early revolutionary feats were certainly pivotal towards the revolutionary effort. However, they were not quite entirely caused by the British colonists. Most of the activities the colonists performed were instigated by something that was entirely different: the French and Indian War (also referred to as the 7 years’ war).

The American Revolution, one of the most significant events in our world’s history, has established a huge impact on not only life back in the eighteenth and nineteenth century but our society today. The Acts of Parliament highly benefited the British but did not afford those same rights to the colonists until the formal issuing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, in which colonial freedom was granted. The most controversial issue is which group caused it; a result of propaganda by the colonists. Multiple acts and protests contributed to this war, three influential ones being the Stamp Act, Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.

Merriam-Webster defines rebellion as, "open opposition toward a person or group in authority” or “refusal to obey rules or accept normal standards of behavior, dress, etc” (“Rebellion”). Have you ever thought of the numerous accounts of rebellious acts that have been expressed throughout time? Many of these uprisings have been successful and have brought great change in society. There are many examples of this throughout history. The Boston Tea Party painting would most likely spark a feeling of rebellion inside any American who views it. While the main focus is the painting, one cannot fully grasp the extent of powerful emotions that it encases without having prior knowledge about the defiance and its purpose, the details within the

This rebellion was dubbed as, The American Revolution. The catalyst of the American Revolution cannot be credited to one single event. The French and Indian War was the start of open conflicts between the colonies and Great Britain (Butler). After this war, the British were in a massive amount of debt (“Parliament Debates”). In early 1765, The British Parliament was struggling to meet the cost of defending its empire in North America. The only logical way that the British thought to relieve this problem was through the colonies, thus the passing of The Stamp Act was born (“Parliament Debates”). The British saw the thirteen colonies as a direct investment and extension of Great Britain, meanwhile the colonists were striving towards independence. “(The) once harmonious relations between Britain and the colonies became increasingly conflict- riven” (“Colonists Responds”). At this point, the