What event in 1794 demonstrated the power of the new federal government when Western Pennsylvanians refused to pay excise taxes on whisky?

The event in 1794 that demonstrated the power of the new federal government when Western Pennsylvanians refused to pay excise taxes on whiskey is known as the Whiskey Rebellion. This uprising was a response to the federal government's imposition of a tax on distilled spirits, which many farmers and distillers in the west, particularly in Pennsylvania, saw as an unfair burden, especially since they relied on whiskey production for their economic livelihood.

The Whiskey Rebellion is significant because it tested the authority of the federal government under the newly ratified Constitution. President George Washington, concerned about maintaining federal authority and law and order, led a militia force to suppress the rebellion. This decisive action underscored the ability and willingness of the federal government to impose its laws and maintain civil order, setting a precedent for how the government would respond to future domestic insurrections.

The other options, such as the Boston Tea Party, are unrelated and involve different circumstances and time periods focused mostly on British taxation and colonial resistance leading up to the American Revolution rather than the situation following the establishment of the United States government. Other terms like the Whiskey Disturbance and Federal Excise Uprising are not historically recognized names for this event, with “Whiskey Rebellion” being