Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 at 10:30 p.m. on KPBS TV
Pennsylvania farmers put America's newly formed democracy to the test in "The Whiskey Rebellion." One of the first major trials for the young United States began when treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton's tax on the making of whiskey sparked a violent insurrection by settlers on Pennsylvania's western frontier.
The uprising, lasting from 1791-1794, was a significant domestic political crisis which culminated in George Washington leading federal troops to put it down — the only sitting president to ever lead troops in the field.
"The Whiskey Rebellion" weaves together reenactments, interviews with experts and historical documents to bring this tale to life.
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