Samuel Adams

Sam Adams, cousin to the John Adams that became our second President, is often credited as being one of the driving forces behind American independence.  A biography by Ira Stoll provides a somewhat brief but enlightening look at his life.  Sam Adams was a very religious person and not one who appears to have been significantly motivated by money, be nice if we had any politicians like that now. He was basically poor his entire life.  He was devoted to his religion and to the cause of independence and liberty.  Adams was born in Massachusetts, with a Puritan heritage.

The biography draws interesting connections between Adams’ religiousity, his advocacy of liberty and property rights.  These religious descendants of those who fled England and Europe for greater freedom in America had a core set of beliefs which animated their desire for independence.  These people believed that God had endowed all people with rights to certain freedoms.  And they saw those freedoms as including the right to obtain property and deploy it as they saw fit.  So they bridled under the English monarch and Parliament which attempted to restrict trade, impose various forms of taxes and fees and other wise limit the economic and political freedom of those living in America.

Sam Adams was a journalist at times before becoming a full-time political leader involved in all the major activities leading up to the Revolutionary War and independence.  He was a very effective writer and orator and was highly regarded by fellow independence seekers and the populace.  He made great personal sacrifices in the cause, spending years away from his wife and home.  He was under constant threat from the British, who singled him out as an effective leader who must be stopped.

A quick read, and another glimpse into events around the founding of our country.  I am reading several related biographies and books this winter, so more to come.