Sam Adams, Firebrand of the Revolution: Sam Adams Was Key in the Fight for the Independence

In the article, “Sam Adams, Firebrand of the Revolution”, author Alexander Winston argues that Sam Adams was a key person in the fighting for the independence of the colonies, even though his name is not often heard. Winston shows that Sam Adams was very committed towards rebellion and during the time that people started developing their own “institutions and ideas”, Sam Adams did all he could do to keep the colonies from becoming corrupt with British power by supporting his own ideas and beliefs.

Sam Adams disagreed and acted against several “unjust” acts of Britain. Including one of them was the “Stamp Act of 1765”. The Stamp Act forced the people of the colonies to purchase “validating stamps” on pamphlets, documents, newssheets, and customs papers. In response, the stamp office was burned, and Sam Adams boycotted stamps for the next six months and encouraged other to do so too (farmers).

Another idea that was put into affect was the Townshend Acts. This act would place “import duties” on glass, lead, paper, etcâÂ?¦ Sam Adams did all he could to stop importing and by 1769 he got every single colony to join him. For some period of time Sam Adams encouraged to boycott almost everything that brought profit to the British. For example, instead of drinking tea, they drank a less unpleasant beverage made of catnip and mint.

In 1773 East India Parliament was helping unload approximately 342 chests of this “rich” English brew, so this gave Sam Adams the perfect opportunity to rebel against the heavy taxation. Sam Adams gathered a group of colonial patriots and dressed them up as Mohawk Indians as a disguise and dumped the tea out in the bay. In response to “The Boston Tea Party”, the British were once again enraged and closed the ports for Colonists.

These three acts of rebellion and refusal to participate in an unfair and unjust government were just a few things that Sam Adams did to spark up a revolution. Winston proves that there are many people who make a difference in history and just because they are not all recognized as much in the future, that doesn’t mean they made a lesser impact on society than others.