Revolutionary Boston

It was impossible to beat the notion of liberty out of the people as it was rooted in them since childhood. General Thomas Gage, Commander of the British forces in North America

"The notion of liberty." It started out that way right here in Boston. As a notion, an idea that royal leadership was not imbued with divine authority, and that people had the right to govern their own lives. They imagined it, whispered it, and finally they spoke it, out loud. It swelled into a battle cry, this notion liberty, advancing to a movement, a conflict, and finally a Revolution. It changed the world.

The people of Boston were always inclined to control their own affairs. It was here, after all, that Puritans first came to establish religious independence. And it was here, that colonists, educated, prosperous, and accustomed to running their own lives, became incensed when Britain began to levy taxes. The British government was trying to restore funds to its treasury which had been drained and beleaguered by the cost of the French and Indian War. The Stamp Act of 1765, and the Townshend Acts of 1767 would provide the revenue source they needed by charging duties on goods coming into the colonies.

It was a good plan, in theory - but Boston colonists were having none of it. They didn\'t take kindly to the idea that they had no voice, no vote in matters that concerned their essential liberties. "No taxation without representation." They meant it.

The Stamp Act led to violent protest throughout the Town that no amount of Royal edict could contain. When the King sent his soldiers to Boston to bring about calm in 1768, tensions only escalated. Two years later, the Boston Massacre set off a firestorm. Eleven colonists were shot, five of them died in what began as a street-scuffle with British soldiers. Sam Adams saw his opportunity and used the event to rally people to the cause, he dubbed it a "massacre" inciting rage and riot throughout the colonies.

The brazen protest of the Boston Tea Party was a clarion statement of the colonists\' resolve. They dumped more than $1 million (by today\'s value) of that precious cargo into Boston Harbor. It was an act that John Adams described as "bold… daring… intrepid… and lasting." He was right.

And still the British tried to contain them. Declaring Massachusetts in a "state of rebellion" the Crown closed New England ports and banned fishing from the Grand Banks. More British troops were sent to Boston.

All the while, The Sons of Liberty met in secret, plotting against Parliament. An illegal Provincial Congress was created, meeting in towns and villages outside Boston. Loyalists argued against the war, and some, seeing the worst ahead, returned to England.
Public broadsides exhorted rebellion, and farmers and merchants stockpiled arms. They weren\'t afraid to use them.

In April of 1775, the British dispatched troops into the countryside. They were headed to Lexington and Concord to seize arms and seditious documents, and to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock who were meeting in secret. The infamous two lanterns in the steeple of the Old North Church on the night of April 19, 1775, signaled that the British were crossing the Charles River on their way to Charlestown. From there they would begin their march to Lexington.

Paul Revere and William Dawes rode into the countryside under cover of darkness to warn the colonists of an impending siege. The Minute Men were ready when British troops arrived. An exchange of fire in Lexington left 10 colonists dead. The "shot heard round the world" that followed from the North Bridge in Concord precipitated a bloody battle, and deepened the colonists resolve.

At Bunker Hill, the colonists proved again the strength of their mettle. They surprised the British who had planned to take the hill and advance to regions outside the town of Boston. The Americans ensconced 1200 American troops at the site. They fought with fervor When they ran out of ammunition, they hurled sticks and rocks instead.

Finally, they retreated, not before over 1000 British soldiers had fallen. The colonists lost the hill that day, but what they claimed was more valuable. It was the knowledge that they could, and would prevail in the fight for independence.

Boston\'s call for freedom echoed throughout the 13 colonies and slowly the cry of angry British subjects transformed into the measured voices of America\'s first patriots. On July 18, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was read out loud to a public audience from the balcony of the Old State House in Boston. There was great jubilation among the people that day. They had started with a "notion" and created a democracy.

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Revolutionary Timeline

1630
Puritans establish the town of Boston.

1670
The first Old South Meeting House, a two-story cedar hall, is built.

1761
James Otis speaks against the Writs of Assistance at the Old State House.

1764
The Sugar Act taxation and Currency Act infuriate Colonists.

1765
The Stamp Act taxation sparks rioting in Boston.

1768
September 18-British garrison troops in Boston.

1770
March 5- The Boston Massacre leaves five dead. British uphold the Tea Act.

1773
December 16-The Boston Tea Party prompts the Intolerable Acts as punishment.

1775
April 18-Paul Revere and William Dawes, Jr., ride from Boston to alert the countryside that British troops are headed to Lexington.

1775
April 19-The British retreat to Boston after the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

1775
June 17-The Battle of Bunker Hill leaves heavy casualties.

1776
March 17-Washington liberates Boston. British evacuate with troops and local Tories.

1776
July 18- Declaration of Independence is read from the Old State House balcony.

1788
June 21-The Constitution is ratified.

1789
George Washington makes triumphal visit to Boston as first President.

1795
Construction begins for the new State House.

1797
USS Constitution is launched.

1809
The Park Street Church is built.

1822
Boston is incorporated as a city.

1829
July 4-William Lloyd Garrison speaks against slavery at the Park Street.

1843
June 17 -Bunker Hill Monument is dedicated.

The Boston Common

Originally owned by William Blackstone who came to Boston in 1622, the Boston Common is America\'s oldest public park. Situated on 44 acres of open land, it was used as a common pasture for grazing cattle owned by the townspeople of Boston. The Common later became a "trayning" field for the militia and was used as a British Army camp during the occupation of Boston.

Over many generations, the Common has been the site of hangings, duels, public celebrations and spirited oratory. Now it hosts squirrels, pigeons, and plenty of neighborhood dogs that are walked here daily from their fashionable addresses on Beacon Hill.

The State House

Designed by Charles Bulfinch, the State House was completed on January 11th, 1798, and widely acclaimed as one of the more magnificent and well-suited buildings in the country. The land was originally used as John Hancock\'s cow pasture.

Today, the State House is the oldest building on Beacon Hill, and its grounds cover 6.7 acres of land. In 1802, the original wooden dome was covered with copper to prevent water leakage. In 1874, the dome was gilded with 23-carat gold leaf. The State House is the seat of Massachusetts\' state government.

The State House
Beacon Street
617-727-3676
Open Mon. - Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm
www.state.ma.us/sec/trs

The Black Heritage Trail

The Freedom Trail meets another Boston trail, The Black Heritage Trail, at the Robert Gould Shaw/54th Massachusetts Regiment Memorial on Beacon Hill.

The Black Heritage Trail takes you through Boston\'s Beacon Hill neighborhood and recounts the early history of Boston\'s African-American community.

The Trail is in full bloom during summertime. You can find this pretty window on Park Street at the corner of Beacon.

Park Street Church

This church was founded in 1809 in the midst of an exciting chapter in the nation\'s history. Ten people, including author Oliver Wendell Holmes, gathered in the mansion of William Thurston on Beacon Hill on February 27th, 1809, to discuss the organization of a church in this area. By mid-March, the committee had located a site at the corner of Park and Tremont Streets, and Park Street Church was founded.

"America" (My Country \'Tis of Thee), by Samuel Francis Smith, was first sung at the Park Street Church on July 4th, 1831. The church was also where William Lloyd Garrison delivered his first major public address against slavery in 1829.

Look up as you walk along the Trail. Boston is a universe of architectural treasures. Find this relief near the Granary Burying Ground on Tremont St.

Park Street Church
Corner of Park and Tremont Streets
617-523-3383
Jun. 17 - end of Aug., Tue. - Sat. 9:30 - 3:30
Summer worship services - Sundays 10:45am and 5:30pm
Winter worship services - Sundays 8:30am, 11:00am, 4:00pm, and 6:00pm
www.parkstreet.org

Granary Burying Ground

With its massive Egyptian Revival-style gates facing Tremont Street, the Granary Burying Ground is the final resting place of many eminent Revolutionary-era patriots, such as Samuel Adams, Peter Faneuil, Paul Revere, and John Hancock.

Originally called South Burying Ground because of its location at the most southerly area of Boston settlement, it was then renamed Middle Burying Ground, as Boston sprawled toward the south. The current name is derived from the grain storage building, or granary, which stood on the site where the Park Street Church now stands.

Granary Burying Ground
Tremont Street
617-635-4505
Open daily 9:00 - 5:00
www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/

King\'s Chapel

In 1688, the Royal Governor built King\'s Chapel on the town burying ground when no one in the city would sell him land to build a non-Puritan church. The first King\'s Chapel was a tiny church used by the King\'s men who occupied Boston to enforce British law. By 1749, the building was too small for the congregation, which had grown to include a number of prominent merchants and their families.

The congregation hired America\'s first architect, Peter Harrison, to design a church "that would be the equal of any in England." The new church was completed in 1754. Harrison\'s plans included a steeple, which has never been built, and a colonnade, which was not completed until after the Revolution. The magnificent interior is considered the finest example of Georgian church architecture in North America.

Look closely and you\'ll see this bird has feathered herself a royal nest at King\'s Chapel

King\'s Chapel
Corner of Tremont and School Streets
617-227-2155
Summer Hours: Mon. Thu. Fri. Sat. 10:00 - 4:00
Winter Hours: Sat. 10:00 - 4:00
Services are held Wednesdays, 12:15pm and Sundays 11:00am
Concerts at King\'s Chapel: Tue. 12:15, Sun.5:00 (see website for performers)
www.kings-chapel.org

King\'s Chapel Burying Ground

Located next to King\'s Chapel on Tremont Street, King\'s Chapel Burying Ground was Boston Proper\'s only burying place for nearly 30 years.

The Burying Ground is the final resting place of some of Massachusetts Bay Colony\'s most prominent citizens - John Winthrop, the Colony\'s first governor; William Dawes, Jr., who rode with Paul Revere to Lexington and Concord; and Mary Chilton, the first woman to step off the Mayflower in Plymouth Colony.

King\'s Chapel Burying Ground Tremont Street 617-635-4505 Open daily, 9:00 - 5:00 www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/

The skull and crossbone design on early tombstones served to remind Puritans that life as a mortal is brief. Later designs carry the same message, but aren\'t so stark and scary

Benjamin Franklin\'s Statue/Site of the First Public School

As you follow The Freedom Trail down School Street, you will notice a half-smiling, half-serious statue of Benjamin Franklin outside the Old City Hall and a plaque on the sidewalk, marking the site of the first Public School.

It is the first portrait statue erected in the United States. This is also the site of the country\'s first public school, Boston Latin School (1635), which is still in operation in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston.

Old Corner Bookstore Building

This little brick building sits at the Corner of School and Washington Streets, Old Corner Bookstore was a flourishing literary center in the mid-1800s. The original building was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1711, and was replaced by the current gambrel-roofed structure built in 1718 by Dr. Thomas Crease.

The street level of this house was used as a pharmacy, the upper stories as a residence. The transition from medicine shop to marketplace for ideas began in 1829 when the house was leased to Timothy Harrington Carter, a bookseller. The first bookseller\'s business, Carter & Hendlee, was followed by nine similar companies over a 75-year period, the most famous being Ticknor & Fields.

Old Corner Book Store
School Street
617-367-4004
Winter Hours: Mon - Fri, 9:00 - 5:30
Sat 9:30 - 5:00
Closed Sundays.
www.historicboston.org

Old South Meeting House

Built in 1729, Old South Meeting House was a Puritan house of worship. It was from here that an outraged Samuel Adams gave the signal to proceed with the Boston Tea Party. Following a two-year rehabilitation and restoration project, the Old South Meeting House reopened in October of 1997.

Old South\'s reputation as a place for history-making oratory has continued through the generations. You can go inside to visit "Voices of Protest," a permanent exhibition that tells Old South\'s story over two centuries. It\'s a sometimes disturbing, often inspiring, frequently controversial, but always fascinating story of the people who have made history within these walls.

Old South Meeting House
310 Washington Street
617-482-6439
November - March: daily 10:00 - 4:00
April - October: daily 9:30 - 5:00
www.oldsouthmeetinghouse.org