Constitutional Era
Brooklyn Terrell
Shay Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion was the name given to a series of protests in 1786 and 1787. American farmers went against state and local enforcement of tax collections and judgements for debts. The rebellion was the most serious in Massachusetts. Daniel Shays was the leader, hence the name of the rebellion. The state militia was commanded by Gen. Benjamin Lincoln.
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion was a tax protest in the United States in 1791, while the U.S. was under the leadership of George Washington. The "Whiskey Tax" was the first tax to be imposed on a domestic product by the newly formed federal government. It became law in 1791, and was intended to get rid of debt in the U.S. The "Whiskey Tax" was created by Alexander Hamilton in hopes to reduce the debt. The tax was resisted by farmers in the western frontier regions who were long accustomed to turning their surplus grain and corn into whiskey.
XYZ Affair
The "XYZ Affair" was a political and diplomatic episode in 1797 and 1798, in the early administration of John Adams. The XYZ Affair involved a confrontation between Republican France and the United States that led to the Quasi-War. An American diplomatic commission was sent to France in July 1797 to negotiate problems about to create another war. The diplomats, Charles Cotesworth Pickney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry were approached by French Foreign Minister Talleyrand, who demanded bribes and a loan before any negotiations.