“The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom and defended it as they ought.” Sam Adams
An intense love of liberty burned in the heart of Sam Adams, which was lighted by his father and stoked by his mother, who taught him the Bible. Both of his parents instilled in him the Puritan ethic of personal as well as civic virtue.
He was admitted to Harvard at age 14, where he studied philosophy, divinity, and political science, thinking the ministry would be his profession. But the political fervor of the day captured his attention and formed him for duty to his country. His whole life was mostly dedicated to public service, but his name is predominantly associated with the Revolutionary War.
An early lesson in taxation without representation
Sam worked as a tax collector, an unpopular profession, where he learned about the character of men. Parliament’s despised taxation without representation (consent) inflamed the public. The seeds of discontent sown by British rule were in their infancy, and Sam “entered” the rebellion at an early stage. Nurturing the spark of liberty, he formed political clubs and wrote news articles that became the seedbed of the Revolution. His words were simple and direct, illuminating the inalienable rights of the people.
The organizer of the American Revolution
Sam penned, “Rights of the Colonists, as Men, as Christians and as Subjects,” the first statement of principles made by the Committee of Correspondence, which grounded independence in the rule of natural law, Christianity, and British rights. It became the precursor to the Declaration of Independence.
Impeccable character
Mercy Warren described Sam Adams, saying, “he possessed a quick understanding, a cool head, stern manners, a smooth address…. uniformly devout, social with men of all denominations, grave in deportment; sober and indefatigable, calm in seasons of difficulty, tranquil and unruffled in the vortex of political altercation…his mind dissipated fear…Nothing would silence his voice or his pen. He exhibited on all occasions an example of patriotism, religion, and virtue honorary to the human character.”
Teach the Children America’s Christian History: Family Time Talks
- What was important about the way Sam Adams was raised?
- Why was he called the Father of the American Revolution?
- Reread the last paragraph. What do you think was Sam’s most outstanding character quality and why?
