Sam Adams Biography free essay sample

The second part of the paper will describe retain aspects of Samuel Adams life as read in chapters 2 and 3 of the biography entitled Samuel Adams; Father of the American Revolution by Mark pull. Samuel Adams was born on September 27, 1722 in Boston, Massachusetts. He grew up in a strong, moral and intellectual family who had a Strong belief in the church and valued education above all else. Interest in politics ran in the Adams family as well. His father, Deacon Samuel Adams was the founder of Bosons Caucus Club, which was made up of working class people who would meet to discuss political views.As a child growing up listening to these tenting, Samuel Adams had showed interest in the government. Because the family was very religious as well, it was expected of Sam to one day become a minister. Spending his childhood devoted to religion and the church, he believed that he would turn out to be one as well. We will write a custom essay sample on Sam Adams Biography or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page (AY, AY) At the age of fourteen, Sam Adams enrolled in Harvard University. There he studied Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, philosophy, science, writing and public speaking. He seemed to enjoy writing and philosophy the most. John Locke was his favorite philosopher and he took much interest in his writings.Locke leveled that the government did not have the right to tax people without the consent of the people through their elected representatives. Whenever the power that is put in any hands for the government of the people, and the protection of our properties, is applied to other ends, and made use of to impoverish, harass or subdue them to the arbitrary and irregular commands of those that have it; there it presently becomes tyranny, whether those that thus use it are one or many. (Locke, Second Treatise, Chapter 18) Adams studied these ideas nonstop, ultimately influencing and shaping his political sews. AY) Samuel Adams was different from other scholars, he was not interested in power, business or materialistic things. He took interest in the Civil liberties of his fellow men. At the age of the seventeen, Adams graduated from Harvard university. However he decided to continue with school to earn his masters degree, which he received in 1743. While in graduate school, Dams father decided to start a Land Bank. Since this was during time of the Currency Act, he tried to issue paper currency as a plan to help the struggling colonists. However, not everyone agreed with this. The upper class of Boston requested the British Parliament took action. The bank resulted in being shut down, leaving the Adams in poor economic condition. Worried for his family, Sam Adams wanted to drop out of school so he could help them out. His family wouldnt hear of it, so instead he starting working throughout college. Adams disagreed with Parliaments decision entirely and thought the British had violated the rights of a man to retain his own property. Although he was brought up to be a minister, he found his calling in politics and civil liberties.At the beginning of his political career, Sam Adams became a tax collector in Boston for a number of years. He soon became a member of the CaUCUS Club and was elected to the Massachusetts assembly the Great and General Court. Adams helped control local elections and participated in the town meetings. He was active in many of other organizations among Boston as well, such as the Loyal Nine, the North End Caucus and the Sons of Liberty. With his great involvement in politics, Sam Adams soon came to realize that Parliaments rule and power over the colonies was unfair. AY , El) After the costly Seven Years War, Britain was in a great amount of debt. In order to help pay it off, the government decided to have the colonists be Of assistance. In 1 764, Prime Minister George Greenville passed the first revenue on the colonists, the Sugar Act. Not many colonists thought twice over the new tax. Sam Adams was in shock that no one found this an issue. He considered the Sugar Act a violation of self-government and that the colonists could not allow Parliament to keep taxing them.Adams believed this would lead to more taxes, more royal officials, dependence of Britain, and eventually loud take away the colonists freedom of self-government. As a dedicated federalist, he knew the alliance between Britain and the colonies must be broken. (Pull, Chapter 2) In a way to try to put a stop to the Sugar Act, Adams attempted to strategies a boycott Of English goods. By not buying anymore Of the goods and canceling orders, it was hoped that the British merchants would complain to the government and request a repeal of the act. Adams believed that this was a civil rights matter and the colonists right to self-government was being violated. He tried to unite the colonies and enlighten them of the idea that taxation was just a means of eliminating colonial rights. However, the colonists thought there werent anything wrong with the tax and did not believe they had the ability to rebel against Britain. Therefore, the majority of colonists did not participate in the boycott and continued to pay the tax. Adams kept trying to persuade the colonists, knowing that excess taxation would lead to a submissive nation to England.The governor of Massachusetts however denied the right to assemble, so the attempt to stop the new tax was a failure. Pull, Chapter 2) Because the protests over the Sugar Act were dismissed, a year later another new tax was being planned. Parliament, still in need of more money, proposed the Stamp Act. This was a tax on all paper and printed goods sold within the colonies. With the colonists in uproar, Sam Adams became a convincing voice that their liberties were being taken away and that the boycott he had originally planned for the Sugar Act should be reinstated and reinforced. Little by little, the colonists began to realize he was right.As another attempt to try to put a stop to these unreasonable taxes, Adams wrote up a statement of colonial rights as well as a petition to King George Ill. The Sons of Liberty, a secret Whig society, as well as other revolutionists began to take up the cause with Sam Adams. They tried once again to assemble the thirteen colonies for a unified resistance. This time it was a success regardless of the governors efforts. (Pull, Chapter 3) Many protests had taken place throughout Boston by the angered colonists. Sam Adams was not happy about this though, he wanted to protest in a non- violent and peaceful matter.The Stamp Act congress had been put in order y the united colonists, which was the first organized petition to the King of England. They argued that taxation without representation violated the civil rights of all British subjects. Sam Adams once said, When the colonies saw the common danger, they at the same time saw their mutual dependence, and mutually called in the assistance of each other (Pull, 57). The issues over the taxes had finally been addressed, and It had been acknowledged that the Stamp Act was not enforceable in Massachusetts. The legislature was to reopen the sessions, arguing that Parliament would be unwilling to repeal the ax while colonists denied it authority over America. (Pull, Chapters 2-3) Dams name became more and more well-known and respected among the colonies. His writings and ideas of independence and colonial rights were encouraging and influential to the colonists. They never would have thought that breaking free from Englands rule would be as possible as it was now. No matter what Parliament tried to throw at them, the colonists remained united and followed revolutionist, Sam Adams.Adams made instructions and strategies for every scenario, such as the Townsend Acts. He was a major nutrition and influence in the Boston Tea Party, and had a major role in the recovery of the Boston Massacre. They were getting closer and closer to freedom and they would do whatever possible to reach it. (Pull Chapter 3, El) By changing the colonists views and confidence of freedom, Adam had accomplished what he had longed for. The Revolution had begun, and the colonists were no longer dependent on Britain. After many battles and moralities, America had finally won their independence.