Final answer:
Farmers were upset about the whiskey tax because it placed a heavy burden on them and favored the interests of the commercial classes in the East. The tax was seen as unfair and led to protests, violence, and even talk of secession in some areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The farmers were opposed to the whiskey tax because it placed a heavy burden on them. Due to the lack of reliable means to transport grain over long distances, farmers in western Pennsylvania and other areas distilled their grain into whiskey to make it more portable and cost-effective to transport. Whiskey also served as a form of currency in cash-strapped regions. The tax on whiskey was seen as evidence that the new national government favored the commercial classes on the eastern seaboard over the interests of farmers in the West. This led to protests, violence, and even talk of secession in some areas.