How much do you know about colonial resistance in the years leading up to the American Revolution? Do you know how they organized their resistance and protests? Do you know WHO was doing all the organizing? Have you ever heard of the Loyal 9 or Ebenezer Mackintosh? How did people like John Hancock, Samuel Adams and John Adams respond to the initial taxes imposed by the British that led to the rallying cry “no taxation without representation”?

On today’s episode of Founded we’re delving into the reactions Bostonians had to the Stamp Act riot that occurred on August 14, 1765, from the patriots and loyalists, to the newspapers. What were the patriots doing to further their cause? What would the loyalists and crown officials do to stop them? Why was that black cloud so destructive? We’re about to find out. 

Key Players:

Patriots

John Hancock: Rich Merchant, not politically active at this time, wrote a lot of mildly worded letters about hating stamps

John Adams: Lawyer, new dad, enjoyed contributing to the newspaper

Samuel Adams: hated stamps, authority and working, loved going to clubs, writing, mischief

Ebenezer Mackintosh: Shoe maker, gang leader

Loyalists:

Andrew Oliver: Council member, Thomas Hutchinson’s brother-in-law, thought he was going to be a stamp man

Thomas Hutchinson: Lt. Governor of Massachusetts Bay colony, hated by much of the inhabitants of said colony, didn’t like stamps but no one knew

Francis Bernard: Royal Governor of Massachusetts Bay colony, frustrated with the rabble and mobs, had trouble maintaining authority

Sources

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