The insurrection led by George Washington's troops in 1794 against a tax on whiskey was known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested against the federal government's excise tax on whiskey, which they viewed as unfair taxation of their livelihoods. The rebellion challenged the federal authority and tested Washington's administration. To quell the revolt, Washington mobilized a sizable militia, demonstrating the government’s willingness to enforce its laws. Ultimately, the insurrection underscored the tensions between federal and local interests in the fledgling United States.