Boston, the Red Coats, and the Homespun Patriots, 1766-1775

The years 1766 through 1775 were turbulent times for the city of Boston, Massachusetts, immortalized by a series of incidents that would set in motion one of the most significant events in the history of the Western world. The heightening tensions between the British Empire and her upstart American colonies would be played to an irreconcilable stalemate in Boston Harbor and in the streets, in the offices of government officials and merchants, in the homes and businesses of common citizens, in the public houses, and on the pages of the daily news. With no other practical means of mass-communication available, privately published and distributed journals were an enormous influence on the opinions of the common citizen and were instrumental in swinging public sentiment towards independence. This collection of colonial newspaper articles, compiled by Armand Lucier, allows the reader to experience this pivotal moment in American history as reported in the news of the day. The articles contained herein document the significant occurrences of the pre-war years as well as the entire spectrum of public interest. Accounts are given of such seminal events in American history as the repeal of the Stamp Act, the British occupation of Boston, the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the beginning of hostilities at Lexington and Concord. Interspersed throughout are anecdotes and letters concerning such notable figures as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Sir Francis Bernard, Joseph Warren, Paul Revere, James Otis, and an assorted cast of socialites, politicos, and agitators. Other noteworthy subjects include: affairs of state; domestic and foreign policy; Parliamentary procedure and declarations of the King; local politics, elections, and appointments; incidences of crime, insurrection, breaches of the peace, and sensational criminal trials; social engagements and amusements; essays on religion and philosophy; editorials and letters expressing both patriot and loyalist sentiment; and much more. A full name index has been included.