Final answer:
The Whiskey Rebellion was a key event in U.S. history where Western Pennsylvania distillers resisted an excise tax, leading to President Washington deploying a militia to assert federal authority and establish the government's power to enforce law.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 was a significant test of the new United States federal government's authority. The rebellion arose when the Washington administration levied an excise tax on distilled spirits as part of Alexander Hamilton's financial program, aimed at establishing the nation's financial stability. Western Pennsylvania distillers, aligned with the Democratic-Republican Party, saw the tax as an attack on their freedom and potentially a step towards monarchism. President George Washington responded by sending a large militia to suppress the rebellion, demonstrating the federal government's willingness to enforce its laws and maintain order. This action was essential both in affirming the strength of national governance and in illustrating to European powers that the U.S. would stand firm in the face of internal challenges.