Sam Adams

Samuel Adams was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a well-known American patriot, which was a leader of the resistance to British policy before the American Revolution, throughout the colonies. Later, he became an active in Boston political circles. Consequently, in 1765, he was elected to the legislative body of Massachusetts, where he assumed leadership of the movement in Massachusetts that advocated independence from Great Britain. In 1767, measures were passed by the British Parliament, which was called the Townshend Acts. The first measure demanded for the suspension of the New York Assembly, thus penalizing it for not complying with a law. Then the second measure, which was called the Revenue Act, imposed duties on colonial imports of glass, red and white lead, paints, paper, and tea. The Townshend Acts were tremendously unpopular in America. Consequently, Samuel Adams led a fight against the Townshend Acts. In response the British crown destroyed the Massachusetts legislature in 1768. These demonstrations led by Samuel Adams led to the Boston Massacre, on March 5, 1770. Due to the demonstrations and harassment towards the British soldiers, by the citizens, missiles were fired into the crowd, killing five men. Samuel Adams exploited this incident, throughout the colonies. This then created an anti-British sentiment. Later, on December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams directed the Boston Tea Party. Boston citizens were protesting against the British tax on tea imported to the colonies. However, that evening, a group of citizens and Samuel Adams disguised themselves as Native Americans. They then boarded the ships, which contained 342 chest of tea, and emptied the tea into the Boston Harbor. As a result, the British closed down the port. In 1774, at the First Continental Congress, which were a group of delegates from the original American colonies, Samuel Adams became the leader of the radical faction demanding strong measures against Great Britain. The First Continental Congress evolved into the revolutionary government that directed the war for independence. He also was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in 1775. In May 1776 the Congress instructed the colonies to form their own governments