Talk:Sons of Liberty

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Contents

[edit] From Another Article

The Sons of Liberty have been called many many things, everything from patriots to terrorists. In this essay I will show you both sides of the story. The first side is the colonist’s view. The second side is a side that is not shown very often, the British side. The British saw the Sons of Liberty the same as we see terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda today. The Sons of Liberty burnt houses, destroyed cargo, attacked British soldiers, and destroyed private property. And these same people are praised all over the nation even today. Is this a group of patriots, or something totally different?

The Sons of Liberty stood for two main things. The first was that America should have representation in the British Parliament because the Parliament had the power to pass laws and taxes on any item. This powerful legislature could pass taxes that none of the members of Parliament had to pay but could still bring in tons of money for their government. The second stance the Sons of Liberty had was the policy of non-importation. They wanted to make America’s economy self-reliant so they could separate from England.

There were two main factions of the Sons of Liberty. The New York faction was created in January 1765. It was a much more peaceful club than the other faction. The second faction was founded in Boston around the same time as the New York faction. It was founded mainly by Samuel Adams. This faction was the one you always hear about. The Boston group took much more violent action.

The Sons of Liberty ultimately took their name from a debate on the Stamp Act in Parliament in 1765. Charles Townshend, speaking in support of the act, spoke contemptuously of the American colonists as being "children planted by our care, nourished up by our indulgence...and protected by our arms." Then Isaac Barre, a member of Parliament and friend of the American colonists, jumped to his feet in outrage in this same session to counter with a severe reprimand in which he spoke favorably of the Americans as "these Sons of Liberty."

In the beginning, the New York faction did not need to hide their meetings because of their peaceful nature, but later both factions had to go into hiding. The Boston group was increasingly violent soon the British felt that the extremists would soon invade the New York sect. The groups usually met at night. The New York faction usually met in each other’s homes. While the Boston faction had places all over the city to meet, often in pubs. Some of the locations were the Green Dragon Tavern on Union Street, the tavern on Salvation Alley and the Bunch of Grapes on King Street. Also there was the now famous elm tree across from the Boylston Market, known as the liberty tree.

There was a broad range of members in the Sons of Liberty. It ranged from jewelers to sea captains. Some of the principal leaders were Samuel Adams, James Otis, John Hancock, Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, Joseph Warren, Benjamin Church, John Adams, Thomas Cushing, William Molineux, Oxenbridge Thatcher, and Benedict Arnold. One of the more famous stories was the Caucus Club. The Caucus Club was a Liberty club consisting only of Samuel Adams and almost all of the firemen in Boston. In addition Samuel Adams had a private club called The Loyal Nine. This consisted of nine of Adam’s most loyal friends where they would plan protests, meetings, and politics.

The Stamp Act of March 1765 was instituted to help defray the costs of maintaining British troops in the American colonies by issuing tax stamps for a wide range of public documents including: customs documents, newspapers, legal papers, and licenses. Essentially, the Sons of Liberty organized into patriotic chapters as a result of this tax because the Stamp Tax passed specifically for the American colonies and people in Britain did not have to pay it.

The first protest of this act was by McIntosh of the Boston faction. On August 14, 1765, when an effigy (kind of like a Voodoo doll) of Andrew Oliver was found hanging in a tree on Newbury street, along with a boot with a devil climbing out of it. The boot was a play on the name of the Earl of Bute and the whole display was intended to establish a connection between Oliver and the Stamp Act. The sheriffs were told to remove the display but protested in fear of their lives, because a large crowd had formed at the scene. Before the evening a mob burned Oliver's property on Kilby Street, then moved on to his house. There they beheaded the effigy and stoned the house. They then moved to nearby Fort Hill were they built a large fire and burned what was left of the effigy. Most of the crowd dissipated at that point, however McIntosh and crew, then under cover of darkness, ransacked Oliver's abandoned home until midnight.

The New York faction also did one of the protests concerning this act in April 1765. This was when violence broke out with the arrival of a shipment of stamped paper to the Royal Governor's residence. After receiving the official papers, a mob captured the governor's coach and reduced it to ashes. From here the mob, consisting of extremist elements of the New York Sons of Liberty, raced uptown to the home of Fort George's commander, smashing numerous windows and breaking into the wine cellar. They proceeded to drink all of the commander’s prized aged wine collection. Then they descended on the rest of the house and vandalized everything.

The Boston Massacre is still one of the great mysteries. It is still unknown who started this event that killed 5 people and went down in the history books as a pivotal point in America’s history. What makes this event interesting to me is that there is three contradicting written accounts. One account by the accused starter of the Boston Massacre, Captain Prescott. The second was by people were for Captain Prescott who observed the event and the third being by people against Captain Prescott who observed the event. On March 5, 1770 a small group of colonists were up to their usual sport of tormenting British soldiers. By many accounts there was a great deal of taunting that eventually led to an escalation of hostilities. The sentry in front of the Custom House eventually lashed out at the colonists, which brought more colonists to the scene. In fact, someone began ringing the church bells, which usually signified a fire. The sentry called for help, setting up the clash which we now call the Boston Massacre. These are the facts we do know. A group of soldiers led by Captain Thomas Preston came to the rescue of the lone sentry. Captain Preston and his detachment of seven or eight men were quickly surrounded. All attempts to calm the crowd proved useless. After this, the accounts of the event vary drastically. Apparently, a soldier fired a musket into the crowd, immediately followed by more shots. This action left several wounded and five dead including an African-American named Crispus Attucks, who was the first black man to fall in the American Revolution. The crowd quickly dispersed, and the soldiers went back to their barracks. Captain Prescott claimed he ordered his men to load their weapons. Then he heard the crowd yelling fire. Captain Prescott claimed they were attacked by heavy clubs and snowballs by the crowd. During the beating a soldier was hit by a stick and then fired accidentally. Captain Prescott said that then the other soldiers fired in response to the colonist attack. Captain Prescott claimed he reprimanded his men for firing into the crowd without orders. People for Captain Prescott claimed they heard Captain Prescott order his men to load their weapons. Richard Palmes asked Captain Prescott if he intended to fire and he said no. William Wyatt said the crowd was calling for the soldiers to fire. James Woodall saw a stick thrown and hit a soldier, which prompted the man to fire, quickly followed by several other soldiers. Witnesses including Peter Cunningham claimed an officer other than Prescott was behind the men and that he ordered the soldiers to fire. William Sawyer crowd threw snowballs at the soldiers. Edward Hill claimed Captain Prescott made a soldier put away his weapon instead of allowing him to continue to shoot. People against Captain Prescott claimed that Captain Prescott ordered his men to fire. Henry Knox the soldiers were hitting and pushing with their muskets. Joseph Petty did not see any sticks thrown at the soldiers until after the firing. Robert Goddard heard Captain Prescott curse his men for not firing when ordered. Soldiers including Hugh White heard the order to fire and believed they were obeying his commands. Seven months later, in October of 1770, Captain Prescott was tried for murder in a Boston courtroom. He was prosecuted by John Adams and Robert Auchmuty and assisted by Josiah Quincy Junior. A Boston jury found Captain Prescott innocent. Though many people do not believe Prescott that was innocent, there is little proof to support a guilty verdict. One theory is that the Jury was picked of people who the court knew would vote for Prescott’s innocence, this is called packing the jury. One of the fun things that I got to do when researching the Boston Massacre is that I got to decide whether or not Captain Prescott was guilty. I think that Captain Prescott was innocent. My idea of what happened was that Prescott ordered his men to load their weapons in order to threaten the colonists. Then someone from the crowd threw a large stick, which struck a British solder and made him fire. I believe that the crowd was not throwing clubs or yelling “fire”. But the real significance of the Boston Massacre was not the scale of it, because it wasn’t that big. It was that it gave rebellious leaders an excuse to go against the British. Then three years after the Boston Massacre, the colonists did one of the most rebellious attacks on their homeland country ever. This event was the Boston Tea Party. On November 27, 1773, three ships from the East India Co., named the Dartmouth, Eleanor and the Beaver, loaded with tea landed at Boston and were prevented from unloading their cargo. Samuel Adams saw this as an opportunity to show Britain that the colonists meant business.

On the cold evening of December 16, 1773, a small band of the Boston Committee of Correspondence members, approximately fifty in number, lead by Samuel Adams directed the Boston Tea Party. Disguised as Mohawk Indians, they ran out of the South Meeting House towards Griffin's Wharf and the three ships. Once on board they cut open the tea boxes with axes and threw them in to the Boston harbor.

When they were finished they threatened anyone who saw them to not say a word. By nine at night, the Sons of Liberty had emptied a total of 342 crates of tea into Boston Harbor. Fearing any connection to their attack, the patriots took off their shoes and shook them overboard. They swept the ships' decks, and made each ship's first mate say that only that the tea was damaged.

When all was through, Lendall Pitts led the patriots from the wharf. They marched past the home where British Admiral Montague had been spying on their work. Montague yelled as they past, "Well boys, you have had a fine, pleasant evening for your Indian caper, haven't you? But mind, you have got to pay the fiddler yet!” This meant that he knew who they were and that they would pay for their rebellion. In response to the Boston Tea Party The British Government closed the port of Boston.

In conclusion I do not think The Sons of Liberty were a terrorist organization. The British rule was unfair and needed something to show what the colonists realy felt. If The Sons of Liberty were never established there would have been no revolutionary war. So then we would stll be part of the oppressive government of Britian. All of history would have been changed if Samuel Adams hadn’t started his rag-tag gang of followers. I think the moral of this chapter of history is that one man can change everything that we know of. That a small movement can grow in to a generally accepted idea in a whole continent. So I will end with the new question I have found as I reaserched this topic. How can we not praise people who gave so much for their country. When dipiomacy failed these men took action to get their beliefs heard. Why are they’re not more monuments for these great men, these Sons of Liberty.

The above was in another article which is now a redirect. Since some of the things said here appear to contradict what is in this article now I'm going to leave it to someone more knowledgeable than me to merge the two. DJ Clayworth 00:24, 22 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Where was the "other article"? 68.39.174.39 01:53, 22 Apr 2005 (UTC) (PS. That think comes off something like a not too well proofread term-ppr.)

OK, I'm not sure about something here, but isn't "terrorist" in the main article slightly POV? I mean, is there a way to express the same meaning without using a word that has some rather strong connotations? 68.39.174.39 01:53, 22 Apr 2005 (UTC)

The DOD definition is "An individual who uses violence, terror, and intimidation to achieve a result." This would aptly describe the Sons of Liberty who destroyed property and intimidated local Loyalist businesses. Ashibaka (tock) 22:46, 30 May 2005 (UTC)

The Article says: Viewed from the British side the Sons of Liberty were considered a revolutionary terrorist organization, and they were derisively referred to as "The Sons of Violence". I do not see how that is POV. I see it as a fact because the british opposed the sons of liberty. A good example of POV is the person writing up above said "In conclution I do not think The Sons of Liberty were a terrorist organization." I do not think is a POV statement.

The Article says Samuel Adams supported the Sons of Liberty but didnt take part in them, on the Samuel Adams page, it says he founded the Sons of Liberty. Mabe someone can research and fix the problem?:$

[edit] Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

shouldnt there be some type of disambiguation page under this name and this article be titled "Sons of Liberty (American Revolution)" because not only is the subtitle of the game "Sons of Liberty" but there is an organization within the plotline that refers to itself as the "Sons of Liberty" headed by Solidus Snake. I knew of the original sons of liberty but while trying to get information on Metal Gear i stumbled upon this page while looking for solidus' organization.

It's back. I pulled it from the article a while back 'cause I really didn't think it likely that anyone looking for the game would end up here-- guess I was wrong. -- Mwanner | Talk 03:10, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
I've gone ahead and made a dablink to the Metal Gear page. That should clear things up for now. dethtoll (talk) 03:14, 21 November 2007 (UTC)
There used to be a dablink on this article, but it was lost in a wave of vandalism earlier in the month, and was never restored. Just an oversight. Thanks for making a new one. ---RepublicanJacobiteThe'FortyFive' 05:24, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Organization's Start

I have read that there is a dispute as to where the Sons of Liberty actually started in Boston or in New York. Should there be a mention of this unsurity? Sixthcolumn 13:39, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

Indeed there should. There were a number of incidents with British troops over ther erecting of Liberty Poles in the commons of New York City (now City Hall Park) prior to the Revolution that I understand are well-known to historians. These may pre-date any known SoL activities in Boston. The destruction of the statue of King George in Bowling Green was also incited by SoL in the city, and the supposed transfer of the shattered lead statue to have it converted into musket balls an SoL operation, though I expect this is far less certain.--Shoreranger 02:57, 15 July 2006 (UTC)

  • "Sons of Liberty" was used as a general label for revolutionaries and patriots long before any formal organization may have been organized. When the organization was purportedly created, it would have recruited a number of patriots who already considered themselves Sons of Liberty. So where it was founded and who was or wasn't an official member is murky, at best. -- Joshua BishopRoby 23:52, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] "...did not commit murder" reference

The SoL were implicated and suspected of some deaths, but because of the nature of the organization and the outcome of the Revolution no allegations were proven. This does not necessarily mean that SoL was not involved. In addition, as is common in political struggle that comes to armed conflict, these kinds of secret organizations often have - at least - cross-memeberships with other organizations having similar aims, and/or are utilized by other entities out in the open. For example, Washington used SoL networks and members for the Army's intelligence operations, which may have resulted in some enemy casualties. In any case, since consensus seems to be that the SoL cause was just "murder" would not apply, especially if the deaths were all military or British officials. Probably best the sentence is removed, in any case.--Shoreranger 03:15, 15 July 2006 (UTC)

a life is still a life they weren't its still murder or terrorism since they weren't wearing a uniform 82.26.100.167 23:18, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Image Inconsistencies

There is a print at the top of this article showing the SOL tarring and feathering a representative of the Crown, with an attribution to Paul Revere Image:Sons_of_Libery.jpg.
The same print appears in the article Tarring and Feathering described as propoganda for England, with an attribution to a different artist Image:1774_lynching.jpg.
I tend to regard the second as more accurate, since Paul Revere would never have painted the SOL in such a bad light, but I have nothing to base this on. Both pictures cite sources for the material. Anybody else have an insight into this? --Bridgecross 00:26, 17 December 2006 (UTC)

  • I'll chime in on disbelieving the Paul Revere attribution. Revere was an engraver, not a painter. This isn't his medium. -- Joshua BishopRoby 23:49, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Minnesota group?

Any information on this group that we can add? Do they have a website? TornVictor 22:08, 26 January 2007 (UTC)


[edit] wording?

"The Sons of Liberty wanted to resist the British Crown with acts of protest, however they did want mob violence."

"however"? Those don't seem opposed, or if they do, it's not explained well enough. Wikipedia:Words to avoid recommends against "however". But I'm not sure what the overall point of the sentence is, so I'm not changing it at the moment.

—Isaac Dupree(talk) 00:51, 27 April 2007 (UTC)

To define this term is has to do with the Boston Tea Party and more —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.193.31.243 (talk) 22:39, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Patriots?

I'm not sure how the Sons of Liberty can seriously be called 'patriots'. Prior to 1776 their nation was Britain, and they must therefore be regarded as, at best, insurrectionists and/or terrorists. A terrorist can only be a patriot if he is working against a foreign power, and prior to 1776 this was not the case. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.147.186.198 (talk) 23:09, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

  • The SoL prior to the Declaration were ostensibly demanding redress for what they saw was denial of their inherent "rights of Englishmen" - a patriotic endeavor. The lack of direct representation in parliament was the main source of their complaint, as they saw illegitimate laws eminating from parliament as the result of this lack of legitimate representation, which they believed was their "right as Englishmen". They believed they were living under tyranny and believed that one of the rights of Englishman is to resist tyranny - a patriotic duty. (talk) 23:33, 8 April 2008 (UTC)