Preview

How Did Sam Adams Fight For Freedom?

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
841 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Did Sam Adams Fight For Freedom?
Samuel Adams was born on September 27th 1722 in Boston in the British colony of Massachusetts. Samuel Adams was the son of Samuel Adams Sr. and Mary Adams. Samuel Adams family was Puritan and belonged to the Old South Congregational Church. After Graduating Harvard in 1740, he began earning his master’s degree. In his thesis he argued whether “It is lawful to resist the Supreme Magistrate, if the Commonwealth cannot otherwise be preserved” to which he believed it was (Allen, 5). This clearly shows signs that Sam Adams had already been having thoughts of independence from the crown and a possible vision of freedom for his colony. Prior the War of Independence there was eight events that Samuel Adams used to wage his calculated propaganda …show more content…
(Chrislip, 68) Of the three strategies for addressing public concerns, Sam Adams decided to go against the system advocating civil disobedience, economic action and physical violence. Adams most likely realized at a young age that the colonies should break away from British rule and the only strategy for doing so was by going against the system. Adams and the Sons of Liberty set the focus when they realized that many citizens were still on the fence in regards to their feelings about being under British rule. To remedy this, their focus was to discredit the British and highlight any tyranny committed by …show more content…
On March 5th 1770 Boston citizens weary of being living in a city under siege for more than a year had found itself in a standoff with a platoon of British soldiers at town hall on King Street young colonists began to taunt the cold, short tempered redcoats and eventually snowballs started to be thrown at the soldiers. More citizens gathered and eventually balls of ice started to be thrown at the troops. During the tense standoff a rifle discharged and moments later five citizens were dead and others injured. (Irvin, 87). Adams would not let this opportunity to pass him by. He would ensure everyone in every colony would hear about the “Boston Massacre”. He wrote many articles and letters to many colonial leaders. In a letter to Benjamin Franklin, Adams wrote “It affords very great satisfaction that the narrative of the horrid massacre perpetrated here on the 5th of March last which was transmitted to London, 1 has had the desired effect; by establishing truth in the minds of honest men, and in some measure preventing the Odium being cast on the Inhabitants, as the aggressors in it.” (Adams, Vol 2). Adams would use inflammatory words in his letters and articles such as “Horrid Massacre” to describe an event where only 5 people were killed. By

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    In 1773, the British Parliament passed the tea act to improve the East India Company. This was an attempt to adjust import duties, although consignees in Charleston, New York, and Philadelphia refused to accept the tea shipments, merchants in Boston didn’t fold under pressure from the Patriots. On December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Indians and climbed aboard three ships in the Boston harbor and threw 342 chests of tea into the ocean. The result of this was punishment from the British Parliament. By signing the Coercive Acts in 1774, this drove the two sides closer to war.…

    • 105 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Mark Puls’ Samuel Adams: Father of the American Revolution brought to light one of the most undervalued yet highly influential founding fathers of the American revolutionary era. Adams is widely regarded as one of the first fervent idealists of American independence.…

    • 380 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the strategies Thomas Hutchinson and Samuel Adams would may have used would be maintaining a critical attitude. Samuel Adams would need to remain critical to see all of the possible outcomes that would be produced by his actions. If people did not approve he could have been in trouble or even worse killed. Samuel Adams would also have to observe the others around him who were prepared to take this stand. He would have to see this situation from their side before leading them to something so dangerous.…

    • 917 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    However, Adams backed and protected the soldiers who were involved in the 1770 Boston Massacre. This act of justice reflected Adams’ fierce integrity. His part in this political drama only increased his public standing and in the long run made him more respected than ever. This act of firm belief established the fairness and principle in Adams’ mind that “no man in a free country should be denied the right to counsel and a fair trial...” (66). This mindset from the beginning had transfered and this basis later became the roots for American independence. Adams had taken on many trials, often taking the risky side, but had always stood behind his firm beliefs. Adams always wanted to ensure that the innocent were protected and even though he disagreed with British policies, he wanted to ensure the British soldiers got a fair trial. Moreover, this act of courage only solidified his honesty and loyalty. It proved to the public that he would stand up for what he believed in. That message would later become confirmed and the outlook of these cases created what would be the flashpoint in Adams’…

    • 757 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the story "John Adams and the Coming of the Revolution”, author David McCullough discusses how John Adams was asked to defend the British soldiers in court of the soldier’s accusation of man slaughter, following the Boston Massacre. Being such a problematic case that could ruin his reputation, John Adams accepted to defend the soldiers because of his experience in difficult cases, and his strong principles and beliefs. John Adam’s reputation did not even tarnish because of how skillfully he handled the case gaining the respect of the people of Boston.…

    • 610 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    John Adams Dbq

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages

    John Adams was our second president serving from 1797-1801. John Adams was educated at Harvard College studying law after his graduation. John Adams made good decisions like creating are Navy and bad decisions like the Alien and Sedition Act. Thing he helped with and did more with include XYZ Affair, Foreign Affairs, and more. The XYZ Affair is a mistake that occurred between the U.S. and France in 1797. Foreign Affairs are matters having to do with international relationships. John Adams was the six best president because he was against slavery, an outstanding wise political person and faced America’s first problems.…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    John Adams was born in Massachusetts on the family farm.He studied law in Harvard and graduated in 1755 and began his career as a lawyer in 1758 and became one of Boston's famous lawyer.John married Abigail Smith in 1764 and was blessed with with six children three daughters and three sons.He considers Abigail Adams as his confidant.She was unique in her own way and communicated by exchanging letters with john…

    • 352 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Adams was born into a poor farm family. At a young age, he began to keep a diary. It was about the size of the palm an adult hand, and his handwriting so small that you would have to use a magnifying glass to read it. Through this he developed the idea that , by reckoning day-by-day his moral assets and liabilities, he could improve himself. A famous quote that he has is "Oh! that I could wear out of my mind every mean and base affectation, conquer my natural pride and conceit,". His natural pride and conceit would be among the things his critics would throw at him for the rest of his life.…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A patriot by some accounts, a tyrant by others, John Adams makes it to the top of a list of the most controversial presidents in American history. John Adams, born on October 30, 1735, in Braintree, Massachusetts was the vice president to George Washington and then later became the second president and the first and only Federalist president of the United States of America from March 4, 1797, to March 4, 1801. Before his presidency, he served as America's first minister to Great Britain from 1785 to 1788. He served in Congress from 1774 to 1777 and served in ninety committees and chaired twenty of them while in Congress. Constantly separated from his wife and children, John Adams was one of the most involved congressmen. He was also elected as part of the Constitutional Convention in Massachusetts. He is considered to be one of the Founding Fathers and also helped write the Declaration of Independence.When Adams was elected President in 1726, the Federalists controlled the two houses of Congress, the judiciary, which included the supreme court, and the Presidency. What we now consider as “conservative” ideology first began with John Adams and a fellow Federalist Alexander Hamilton, who both believed that America could achieve stability only if it were ruled by an aristocracy.…

    • 872 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Thomas Jefferson once said, "I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." He and the other founding fathers knew very well what that meant. They lived it during the Revolution, and they succeeded. Their rebellion against the British king was punishable by death. Had they done nothing, they might have even benefitted at the expense of the people, but they were willing to disobey the law and face the consequences of what was viewed as wrong to do what they knew was right.…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    John Quincy Adams was born on July 11, 1767 on a small farm in Braintree, Massachusetts. His parents are John Adams, our second president, and Abigail Adams. John had two younger brothers and one older sister. In 1787, at 20 years old, John graduated from Harvard College. He became a lawyer and practiced law in Boston in 1790. John got married in 1797 to Louisa Johnson. John and Louisa had three sons, George, John, and Charles, and he had one daughter, Louisa Catherine.…

    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    He also predicted the Civil War. His influence on the Constitution was immense, though less well known than Madison and others. As one of the founding fathers and second president, he remains a mystery to the average American. Even in his lifetime he was accused of being a “royalist,” as of this is evil of itself, since he rejected the typical view of the day, which was basically the Enlightenment view that mankind is rational, good and only seeks freedom so it can be manifest in life. Adams rejected the French Revolution,…

    • 1674 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Rise to Rebellion

    • 1269 Words
    • 6 Pages

    * His response when he first walked out of his home was almost confusion and then when he found out what had happened he was almost dismayed at what the British had done. During the trail Quincy comes in with the man explaining how he personally knows Captain Thomas and believes he is being arrested and tried under false charge.…

    • 1269 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The event that occurred on March 5th, 1770 should be named “The Boston Incident” rather than “The Boston Massacre” because the term massacre usually reminds many that many people have been slaughtered. But in the “The Boston Massacre” less than ten people were killed so I wouldn’t consider it a massacre due to very few deaths. From account number two, William Taint says, “People still continued in the street, crying, “Fire, fire, and be damned,” and throw some more snow balls; whereupon I heard a musket go off, and in the space of two or three seconds, I heard the word “Fire” be given, but by whom I do not know and instantly the soldiers fired one after another.” I think that it was the Americans who instigated this incident because they were…

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Boston Tea Party

    • 1509 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Cited: Alexander, John K. Samuel Adams: America 's Revolutionary Politician. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. Print.…

    • 1509 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays