The causes of the Whiskey Rebellion can be explained in terms of the immediate events preceding it; however a true understanding also requires an explanation of the political differences which plagued American since its independence. The immediate cause of the Rebellion was the imposition of an excise tax on the production of whiskey. The then Federalist run government implemented the tax to finance the costs of building up American defenses which followed the British seizure of ships in the West Indies. …
