Final answer:
During the Revolutionary War, inflation caused by money printing led to substantial price increases and economic hardship for citizens, especially the poor, contributing to unrest and riots.
Step-by-step explanation:
Inflation significantly impacted individuals during the Revolutionary War. The Continental Congress and states opted to print money to support the war effort, leading to the rapid devaluation of the Continental currency. As a consequence, the economy faced runaway inflation, and goods, such as rum, sugar, and beef saw astronomical price increases.
For example, the price of beef skyrocketed from $.04 per pound in 1777 to $1.69 in 1780, a 4,000 percent increase. This situation was exacerbated by the scarcity of goods in British-occupied cities and a rise in wages that fell short of the increasing prices. Relief efforts by private and local institutions were crucial since the Continental Congress was largely ineffective in this aspect.
These economic hardships led to unrest, including food and price riots. Such events underscore the underlying struggles faced by regular citizens, especially the poor, during the war.
Notwithstanding the attempts by Congress to introduce wage and price controls, these measures did little to stabilize the struggling economy or aid the populace. This aspect of the war often gets overshadowed by the more discussed political and military struggles, but it had a profound and lasting effect on the lives of the citizens.