Massachusetts raised taxes on citizens because they wanted to pay off the states debts. The challenge they faced in terms of the rules of currency for citizens to pay these taxes was they required gold and silver as payments rather than goods, produce and paper currency.
The Massachusetts passed higher taxes to pay off the state’s Revolutionary War debts. The state required that the taxes be paid in cash rather than barter with goods or produce. Many farmers and other citizens did not have enough money to pay these taxes.
