Samuel Adams

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Voices of Reason: Samuel Adams Although perhaps best known today for a popular beer named for him, Samuel Adams was widely recognized in colonial America as a radical revolutionary and a dynamic speaker. Adams drew on the Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke (1632-1704), emphasizing freedom of conscience as both a philosophical and a political virtue. To him the principles of political and religious freedom were inevitably intertwined. In his own words, “The religion and public liberty of people are so intimately connected, their interests are interwoven, and cannot exist separately.” (Church 8) Even though Sam Adams was himself a tax collector, he strongly opposed Britain’s imposition of the Stamp Act (a tax on all printed papers and documents, including wills, newspapers, and playing cards) and was, in fact, the first to propose the establishment of a Continental Congress among the American colonies. Directions: Samuel Adams’ own words can be read in Chapter 2 of The Separation of Church and State edited by Forrest Church. Read pages 11-15 starting with the first full paragraph (“Sam Adams’s greatest contribution. .”), which provides an introduction to Adams’ “The Rights of the Colonists” (1772) which follows. This forward-looking document, in support of the independence of the American colonies, anticipated the Declaration of Independence by four years. Be prepared to discuss the following questions: 1. Describe the person and historical context of this individual who is promoting the idea of religious liberty. 2. What arguments does the individual make for religious liberty? 3. What limits, if any, does this person place on the practice of religious liberty? [HINT: In this case, pay attention to what Adams says about Roman Catholics or Papists]. What do you speculate might be the source of this prejudice?] 2101 L St NW STE 400 Washington, DC 20037 TEL: 202-466-0567 web: interfaithalliance.org/LEADD .

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A Case Study of Samuel Adams and Thomas Hutchinson
University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Supervised Undergraduate Student Research Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects and Creative Work Spring 5-2007 Reputation in Revolutionary America: A Case Study of Samuel Adams and Thomas Hutchinson Elizabeth Claire Anderson University of Tennessee - Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_chanhonoproj Recommended Citation Anderson, Elizabeth Claire, "Reputation in Revolutionary America: A Case Study of Samuel Adams and Thomas Hutchinson" (2007). Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_chanhonoproj/1040 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Supervised Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Work at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Elizabeth Claire Anderson Bachelor of Arts 9lepu.tation in ~ Unwtica: a ~e studq- oj Samuel a.dartt;., and g fuun.a:, !JtulcIiUu,on 9JetIi~on !lWWuj ~ g~i6, Sp~ 2007 In July 1774, having left British America after serving terms as Lieutenant- Governor and Governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Hutchinson met with King George III. During the conversation they discussed the treatment Hutchinson received in America: K. In such abuse, Mf H., as you met with, I suppose there must have been personal malevolence as well as party rage? H. It has been my good fortune, Sir, to escape any charge against me in my private character. The attacks have been upon my publick conduct, and for such things as my duty to your Majesty required me to do, and which you have been pleased to approve of.
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Thomas Hutchinson: Traitor to Freedom?
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