Massachusetts is well known for the Boston accent and Dunkin' Donuts, but has also established itself as one of the nation's leading high-tech states. Bound by Vermont and New Hampshire in the north; Vermont and New Hampshire in the east; Rhode Island to its south; and Connecticut on its western border - Massachusetts makes for an exciting state journey!
Loyalists
Loyalists were individuals or communities that remained faithful to King George III during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Many resided in Massachusetts.
Loyalist reactions to the Revolution varied significantly. Some claimed they already enjoyed freedom of trade under the Crown, and that war would diminish this freedom; others felt war with England would be costly and dangerous; still others feared war could lead to monarchy instead of republicanism as was established previously.
Massachusetts experienced rapid population and maritime trade expansion during the 17th and early 18th centuries, as well as taking part in major British imperial wars fought over Caribbean territory including Jamaica and Puerto Rico - many fought over British possessions there.
Many of these disputes were related to religious differences; however, others felt British rule was corrupt and taking advantage of its colonies' poor.
Loyalism was most deeply embedded among mercantile and professional elites, while it also enjoyed substantial support among townspeople and certain ethnic groups, especially Scotch-Irish immigrants and Protestant religious minorities.
After the war ended in 1783, the Commonwealth found itself facing significant economic challenges. It owed a substantial war debt and wasn't raising enough taxes due to changes in commerce from shipping and banking to manufacturing which required greater labor intensity.
The state needed to find ways to transition away from its dependence on seaports toward an economy centered on domestic production and find new sources of wealth.
To address these challenges, Massachusetts liberalized its constitution and separated church and state, moving closer to its goal of being truly democratic people. Meanwhile, Transcendentalism as practiced by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau highlighted humankind's inherent nobility as well as individual expression's value; this movement inspired educators such as Horace Mann to create tax-supported public education.
Patriots
Patriots were primarily middle and lower-class individuals seeking independence from British rule. These people resented taxes and controls placed upon them by the British and often took up arms to support their cause. While nonviolence was preferred when reaching goals, violent tactics weren't afraid of being used if necessary; some notable patriots include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Ethan Allen as examples of such people.
Boston was at the epicenter of America's revolutionary wars and many who became Patriots came from that city. Bostonians who had been directly affected by enforcement policies and government changes introduced by England during this period took up the cause as soon as possible. This was especially true among poorer classes such as sailors, merchants, and farmers who often had little alternative but to become involved with resistance activities themselves.
The Patriots triumphed in the propaganda battle with Loyalists by mobilizing Committees of Correspondence to spread word and writings like Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" stirring newfound American nationalism. Patriots also capitalized on many Americans' desire to break free from British monarchy control.
Some groups of colonists were more inclined toward Loyalism or Tories. This included wealthy elites living in cities as well as members of the Church of England who sought to preserve it as the official state religion in their colonies. Protestant religious minorities in newly settled regions also preferred Loyalism over Patriotism.
Neutrals were more reluctant to choose sides, yet some did so nonetheless. Many, such as Quakers and Mennonites, held religious convictions that made them unwilling to participate in warfare; others simply hoped a foreign army would leave them alone.
Although many spies and rebels were recruited into the military by both sides, the Patriots used female slaves as recruits against the law. Crispus Attucks became the first African-American casualty during this conflict when he led fellow workers in protesting now-despised British policies that led him to be killed during the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770.
Patriot Protests
When Patriots protested British taxes during the American Revolution, one method they employed was throwing tea chests of goods into Boston Harbor to demonstrate against British taxes and spark further demonstrations, including what became known as the Tea Party movement. Katie Lennard of Boston University's American & New England Studies Program inaugural Abbott Lowell Cummings Postdoctoral Fellowship in American Material Culture spoke on the role of Patriotism during this BU Today video.
About 100 individuals wearing face coverings marched through Boston's Copley Square Saturday afternoon, including one member of the white nationalist Patriot Front group according to news outlets. Marchers were protesting SatanCon which was being hosted at Boston Marriott Copley Place hotel.
Anti-Defamation League defines Patriot Front as a white supremacist group that advocates that white men conquered America and bestowed it to their descendants, leaving no room for people of color or other minorities. Members are known for conducting flash demonstrations at which members appear and protest quickly before quickly leaving and disappearing again; other times, members fly the American flag upside down to convey that its creators no longer represent it.
Mayor Michelle Wu and Council President Ed Flynn issued a joint statement opposing Patriot Front's presence in Boston, noting its distasteful ideologies of white supremacist groups are not welcome in our community. "Boston stands firmly against them," they wrote.
Counterdemonstrators gathered to greet Patriot Front marchers when they entered Copley Square and began chanting, "Nazis, go home!" according to live-stream footage posted on Twitch. Police monitored the crowd while Herald photographers captured images near Dartmouth and Stuart streets where a Black man could be seen clashing with members of the Patriot Front.
At 1:15 p.m., marchers left Boston Square and returned to MBTA Green Line station via social media posts, according to social media posts. Social media reports also indicated a brief clash between marchers and a Black man was underway and police are reviewing video recordings to identify any members of Patriot Front group who may have assaulted or physically hurt him during this encounter.
Rebels
Following the American Revolution, many citizens struggled to survive financially. With America in debt from war expenses, heavy taxes were levied to cover these debts and fund a new national government. Western Massachusetts farmers were particularly hard hit, as they purchased land and livestock on credit or bartered goods with local businesses; when they couldn't repay their debts local businesses foreclosed on them and took their property. Farmers organized to protest and take action; this uprising would become known as Shays' Rebellion after one of its leaders: Captain Daniel Shays who was also a Revolutionary War veteran.
Rebellion highlighted the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation federal government. Many in the Founding Generation--including George Washington and Alexander Hamilton--believed that more power needed to be granted to the national government so it could quell future uprisings or address their causes through policy implementation.
Shaysite rebels were eventually defeated after a six-month uprising by Governor James Bowdoin's military force funded by eastern merchants. Although their rebellion ended by January 1787, its effects will still have an influence in Massachusetts for years.
Rebels viewed themselves as patriots protesting an unjust law; while the state government saw them as radicals challenging its authority. General Benjamin Lincoln discussed the government's role during times of unrest while stressing its necessity tempered with mercy. This excerpt from a speech delivered to his militia offers insight into this topic.
Many rebels were former soldiers who had distinguished themselves in the Revolutionary War, yet were no longer soldiers for life. Many struggled to support their families following the foreclosure on their properties - which many found devastating as they also lost the right to vote - leaving many disillusioned with any government that did not represent them effectively. Their actions did spur much-needed discussion over the proper roles and responsibilities of state and federal governments.
Post a Comment