Show Notes: Gaming The Sons Of Liberty

The American Revolution Was Not One Man or Woman As a Hero

Samuel Adams was just one of many people taking action to retain freedom.  Pushed further by the King, Adams intensified his efforts to obtain freedom from the edicts and dictates of British Parliament, The Crown, and the British East India Company.

In Severed Conscience, we described the period of the Salem Witch Trials, and O wrote without the tragedy of the panic and rigged trials, the Founding Fathers would not have been fervent fair trials and due process.  Salem Witch Trials transpired under British Monarchy.

Samuel Adams and Origin of Distrust

Adams was the son of a banker!  Adams attended Harvard College, where he developed his political ideology, arguing in his master’s thesis about the right to resist tyranny. This belief in self-governance and representation would guide his actions throughout his life. After graduating, he initially pursued a career in business but quickly shifted his focus to politics, becoming involved in local governance.

The Land Bank played a significant role in shaping Samuel Adams’ early life and political career, particularly through its influence on his views regarding government and economic policy.  And Samuel Adams, while involved in organizing many of the riots and protests against British occupation, came from well to do circumstances.  Many of the Founding Fathers we have discussed in detail were self educated men.  We described Washington, Knox, Greene and others in last weeks Sunday Nights Radio Courage In 1776 as well as in the Sunday Nights Episode December 1776.

Background of the Land Bank

Founded in 1739 by Samuel Adams’ father and other wealthy Massachusetts men, the Land Bank aimed to address the economic stagnation in the colony caused by a shortage of circulating currency. The bank issued paper currency to borrowers who mortgaged their property, which was especially beneficial for local farmers and merchants who needed purchasing power. This initiative temporarily alleviated economic hardships by enabling farmers to buy goods from Boston merchants, thus stimulating the local economy.

Opposition and Consequences

However, the Land Bank faced strong opposition from the court party, composed of wealthy British aristocrats who viewed the paper currency as a threat to their economic interests. They pressured the British Parliament to outlaw the Land Bank in 1741, which led to severe financial repercussions for those involved, including Samuel Adams’ father. The legislation mandated that those who had issued the paper currency, like Adams senior, were responsible for repaying it in gold or silver. This created significant debt for many families, including the Adams family, which left a lasting impact on young Samuel.

The key issue was that despite a colony having a paper currency, the final payment of precious metal was most like exported back to Britain as the the merchants of the empire extract gold and silver back to England, out of the colonists hands.

Influence on Samuel Adams

The financial struggles and the perceived injustice of the Land Bank’s dissolution instilled in Samuel Adams a deep distrust of government authority and a belief that governmental bodies could infringe upon individual liberties and property rights. This experience shaped his political ideology, leading him to advocate for self-governance and resistance against perceived tyranny.

Adams’ early exposure to these economic challenges and his family’s difficulties with government policies contributed to his later activism. His belief in the necessity of local governance and representation became central to his role in the Sons of Liberty and his opposition to British taxation, ultimately influencing his actions during the American Revolution.

The Loyal Nine

The Loyal Nine were a group of nine American patriots from Boston who played a significant role in the early protests against British taxation, particularly the Stamp Act of 1765. This secretive organization is often regarded as a precursor to the more widely known Sons of Liberty.

The Liberty Tree

In Boston at the corner of Essex and Orange Street was an elm tree where Adams and other colonists would meet to play their revolt against the King.  This Elm Tree was called the Liberty Tree.  Before we go into specifics, is there any symbolism behind the elm tree?   From Celtic Folklore, the elm tree has been regarded as a symbol of wisdom and intuition. In Celtic mythology, the elm was associated with the god Lugh, renowned for his intelligence and skill. The tree’s fine-grained wood was highly valued by craftsmen, reinforcing its connection to wisdom and craftsmanship.  From American Indian folklore the tree was a symbol of strength and endurance for many Native American tribes, and it was also used for medicinal purposes. In addition to its historical and cultural significance, the American Elm is also an important species for wildlife.

The Liberty Tree became a popular meeting place for the Sons of Liberty to express their dissent. Unpopular officials were hung and burned in effigy from the tree. Colonists posted notices threatening citizens who cooperated with British taxation schemes. The British finally cut the tree down in an effort to stop the dissent. The colonists erected a pole in its place called the “Liberty Pole” and flew the Sons of Liberty Flag from it instead. The flag came to be known as the “Rebellious Stripes” and was outlawed by the British. The colonists simply reversed the stripes and kept using it.

In 1774, British customs official John Malcolm was tarred and feathered under the Liberty Tree. The mob put a noose around his neck and threatened to hang him unless he cursed the governor, which he refused to do.

The Sons of Liberty Were Not Afraid To Intimidate And Use Violence

Campaigning for “Liberty and no Stamp-Act,” local groups within each colony scheme to prevent the Act from taking effect on 1 November 1765. Adopting names including “Sons of Liberty,” these committees stage dramatic spectacles designed to intimidate the stamp distributor in each colony and force him to resign his post. In Boston, protestors take aim at Andrew Oliver. A group of men known as the “Loyal Nine” (forerunners of Boston’s Sons of Liberty) recruit the town’s mobs to ransack Oliver’s home and office in August 1765. Not satisfied with their earlier endeavor, the Sons invite Andrew Oliver to appear under the Liberty Tree for a special ceremony in December. Following the event, the Sons are pleased to boast that the whole affair was “Conducted to the General Satisfaction of the Publick.”

The Membership Included:

https://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-declaration-of-independence/sons-of-liberty/

As you can see, the Sons of Liberty consisted of a large number strong individuals who did not wait for Parliament nor the King to think better of mistreating the colonists, they understood that with no rights that they could be eradicated.  Mercy was not coming.  This movement spread to New York, Pennsylvania and other colonies.  

These were not pundits, the ideals were not from a debate club.  Adams was very clear about the fundamental rights that all could understand and exercise.  There was no talking head class with a captive audience.  These were merchants, blacksmiths, printers, and others from all walks of life who understood that there was no going back to a time when their rights were respected.  Once lost, they are gone for generations.  And there was no waiting for saviors.  As described in Courage in 1776, Henry Knox and others called to lead had NO Experience.  They forged ahead, made critical mistakes, and kept on moving towards a goal.  There were no experts, no documentaries.