Student Resources:

• Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion Essay

Engage

• Write the following words and their definitions on the board:
  • Justice: Having a political order that protects the rights of all equally and treats everyone equally under the law
  • Rule of law: Government and citizens all abide by the same laws regardless of political power. Those laws must be stable and justly applied.
• Ask students to do a quick write to define each term in their own words. Have a few share their answers. Tell students they will consider these two principles and how they relate to the Whiskey Rebellion, an event that occurred during Washington’s presidency. Tell them they will read about the event and then engage in a debate over Washington’s decisions.

Explore

• Divide students into two groups. Have one group read Argument A and the other read Argument B. As they read, have students reading Argument A highlight sentences related to justice, and have students reading Argument B highlight sentences related to the rule of law. Students should also take notes in the margins summarizing the argument of their side.
• Lead a student debate over the question: Was Washington suppressing a rebellion that had legitimate complaints about injustice, or was he exercising his duty to uphold the rule of law?
• Have students brainstorm briefly on how they will present their case to the other side in a debate. Before students debate, remind them that this is a chance for them to exercise civil discourse on a topic. Use the following to reiterate what civil discourse looks like.
• Students should be respectful of views they disagree with.
• Focus on listening to understand, rather than just respond to make your point.
• Ask questions to make the other side feel heard.
• Use the following to help guide the debate:
  • How legitimate were the complaints of the farmers? Was the tax unjust?
  • Did Washington make the right decision to call the militia to enforce the law?
  • Should he have attempted to negotiate with the rebels first?
  • What impact did Washington’s mercy in pardoning the rebels have on the entire event?
• Once students have finished, have them switch sides and repeat the debate from the opposite perspective.

Assess & Reflect

• Have students write a short essay reflecting on the debate in which they answer the following questions.
  • Now that they have argued both sides, which one do they ultimately agree with?
  • What lasting impact do they think Washington’s decision had on our country and the role of the president?