Beer Makes History

Boston in 1763: Taverns, Brawls, and Crippling Debt

In 1763, Boston and its residents loved to visit taverns, drink alcohol, fight in the streets, and debate politics. But the French and Indian War had just ended and an indebted British Empire was looking to tax their North American colonies, making life much more difficult. Key Player: Ebenezer Mackintosh
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"Boston in the American Revolution"
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The Sugar Act: Rum, Smuggling, and Resistance

To decrease the British Empire’s debt, Parliament passed the Sugar Act in 1764. This law, and its tax on molasses, will disproportionately affect Massachusetts because it was home to the most prolific rum producers in the North American colonies. Key Players: Mercy Otis Warren and James Otis
Ye Olde Tavern Tours
"Boston in the American Revolution"
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Boston's Violent Mobs Take on the Stamp Act

Without much resistance against the Sugar Act, Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765. This time, Boston reacted violently, with two riots breaking out against top crown officials and their homes. Key Player: Thomas Hutchinson
Ye Olde Tavern Tours
"Boston in the American Revolution"
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Craft Beer Cellar

The Townshend Duties and Defending Liberty

The cycle of Parliamentary taxation and resistance in Boston continued through 1768. One prominent merchant tries to get around the latest British tax by smuggling alcohol, but gets caught. Boston rebels riot in a spectacular fashion and Parliament responds with a heavy hand. Key Player: John Hancock
Ye Olde Tavern Tours
"Boston in the American Revolution"
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Military Occupation: Standoffs, Trolling, and an Execution

Because of the increasingly violent mobs in Boston, Parliament sent 2,000 British troops to occupy and control the town. Townspeople struggled to live alongside the troops, their customs, and their debauchery. The tension ultimately resulted in a standoff. Key Player: Samuel Adams
Ye Olde Tavern Tours
Brooke's book: "Boston in the American Revolution"
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The Boston Massacre

Trouble was mounting between redcoats and rebels in Boston in 1770. Within 10 days, a British customs official killed a young boy, a huge fight between Bostonians and soldiers broke out, and redcoats shot and killed 5 people, in what would become known as the Boston Massacre. Key Player: Joseph Warren
Ye Olde Tavern Tours
"Boston in the American Revolution"
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Boston's Tea Party

Things quieted down in Boston from 1770 to 1773 until Parliament passed another tax—the Tea Act. Bostonians targeted the Loyalists who were charged with enforcing it. When that didn’t get results, rebels revolted in a unique way: dumping the tea into the harbor. Key Player: Richard Clarke
Ye Olde Tavern Tours
"Boston in the American Revolution"
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Punishment, Powder Raids, and the First Continental Congress

Parliament passed several laws in 1774 called the Coercive Acts as punishment for the Boston Tea Party. The laws inspired action in the countryside and a meeting in Philadelphia. General Gage began a new strategy to shut down colonial resistance by seizing colonial powder stores. Key Player: Paul Revere
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"Boston in the American Revolution"
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Lexington, Concord, and the Start of the Revolutionary War

General Gage tried a third failed powder raid in April 1775. British troops marched towards Concord and encountered local militia in Lexington. This standoff led to the “shot heard round the world” and the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Key Player: Thomas Gage
Ye Olde Tavern Tours
Brooke's book: "Boston in the American Revolution"
Videos

The Battle of Bunker Hill and the Evacuation of Boston

Shortly after war broke out in the countryside in 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill raged. The colonists organized an army and forced British soldiers to evacuate Boston in March 1776. The colonies then approved the Declaration of Independence, capping off 10 ten years of resistance. Key Player: Benjamin Church
Ye Olde Tavern Tours
"Boston in the American Revolution"
Videos