Table of Contents

Introduction

Part I: Context
1. The Tax Man Cometh
2. The Quest for Frontier Autonomy
3. Sectional Stife
4. Lice, Labor, and Landscape
5. George Washington and the Western Country

Part II: Chronology
6. Indians and the Excise
7. Assembly and Proclamation
8. Liberty, Order, and the Excise
9. Alternative Perspectives
10. Federalism Besieged

Part III. Consequence
11. Rebellion
12. Response
13. A Tale of Two Riots and a Watermelon Army
Conclusion

Afterword
Notes
Index

About the Author

Thomas P. Slaughter is Associate Professor of History at Rutgers University.

Reviews

"A vivid account of how 7,000 rioting settlers in western Pennsylvania and beyond opposed a Federal tax on liquor."--The New York Times
"In this year when Americans will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Constitution, [this] highly readable volume should provide much food for thought."--Philadelphia Inquirer
"Slaughter restores the Whiskey Rebellion to its rightful place in our national history...Highly recommended."--Library Journal
"[Slaughter] succeeds admirably in his goal of bringing this episode in frontier history to center stage in American history."--William and Mary Quarterly
"A vivid picture of the squalor of life west of the mountains and the insensitivity of speculators, including Washington himself."--History Book Review
"Slaughter's book will be the standard for the next generation...[It] will certainly stand in the forefront as the standard complete interpretation for years to come."--West Virginia History
"An intelligent and thorough study which links the back country to broader...issues...Well-done."--M. Bellesiles, Emory University
"Insightful and well-written...[E]xcellent."--Delmer G. Ross, Loma Linda University
"An unusual combination of meticulous scholarship and engaging narrative. [Slaughter's] highly readable volume should provide much food for thought."--The Philadelphia Inquirer
"An important reexamintation of the meaning of the American Revolution. The text is written to engage as well as inform ensuring that students will actually learn from it."--Barbara M. Kelly, Hofstra University

"A vivid account of how 7,000 rioting settlers in western Pennsylvania and beyond opposed a Federal tax on liquor."--The New York Times "In this year when Americans will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Constitution, [this] highly readable volume should provide much food for thought."--Philadelphia Inquirer "Slaughter restores the Whiskey Rebellion to its rightful place in our national history...Highly recommended."--Library Journal "[Slaughter] succeeds admirably in his goal of bringing this episode in frontier history to center stage in American history."--William and Mary Quarterly "A vivid picture of the squalor of life west of the mountains and the insensitivity of speculators, including Washington himself."--History Book Review "Slaughter's book will be the standard for the next generation...[It] will certainly stand in the forefront as the standard complete interpretation for years to come."--West Virginia History "An intelligent and thorough study which links the back country to broader...issues...Well-done."--M. Bellesiles, Emory University "Insightful and well-written...[E]xcellent."--Delmer G. Ross, Loma Linda University "An unusual combination of meticulous scholarship and engaging narrative. [Slaughter's] highly readable volume should provide much food for thought."--The Philadelphia Inquirer "An important reexamintation of the meaning of the American Revolution. The text is written to engage as well as inform ensuring that students will actually learn from it."--Barbara M. Kelly, Hofstra University