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Samuel Adams Facts

Samuel Adams

This is a list of basic Samuel Adams Facts. Samuel Adams is sometimes called the "Father of the American Revolution" because of his early stand against the tyranny of Great Britain and his speeches and writings that drew many American colonists into the fight for freedom. This list of Samuel Adams Facts contains basic things such as birth and death dates, marriage dates, number of children and occupations as a young man. It is also contains some interesting and less well known Samuel Adams Facts.

Samuel Adams Facts
Birthdate	September 27, 1722
Birthplace	Boston, Massachusetts
Parents' names	Father - Samuel Adams (born May 16, 1689), Married mother - Mary Fifield in 1713.
Parents' occupations	Father was a Merchant and Brewer
Number of siblings	11
Birth order	10th of 12 children, only two children lived past their 3rd birthday.
Nicknames	Firebrand of the Revolution Father of the American Revolution Patriarch of Liberty
Schools attended	Boston Latin School, a prestigious public school begun in 1635 and still open today with over 2400 students, such famous people as Revolutionary War General Henry Knox, Continental Convention delegate Thomas Cushing, Declaration of Independence signers John Hancock, William Hooper and Robert Treat Paine (Benjamin Franklin attended also, but dropped out before he graduated), and such modern people as composer Leonard Bernstein, poet William Ellery Channing and Joseph Kennedy, father of President Robert F. Kennedy Harvard Law School - Bachelor's degree in 1740; Master of Arts degree in 1743 (Master’s Thesis: Whether it be lawful to resist the supreme magistrate if the commonwealth cannot otherwise be reserved")
Religious Views	Congregationalist, a very strong Christian
First Occupations	Mercantile Businessman, worked in counting house of future delegate to the Continental Congress Thomas Cushing, Cushing fired Adams because he wasn’t any good at business, Brewer (inherited brewery from his father), Tax Collector

Samuel Adams Family
Dates of marriage, wives' names	Married Elizabeth Checkley, October 17, 1749, she died July 1757 Married his 2nd Wife, Elizabeth Wells, in 1764
Children's names and birth order	All six of these children were with Elizabeth Checkley, Samuel Adams' first wife: Samuel, September 1750, died after 18 days Samuel, October 17, 1751, survived Joseph, 1753, died after 1 day Mary, 1754, died after 3 months and 9 days Samantha, 1756, survived Unnamed son, July 1757, stillborn, Elizabeth died as a result of this birth on July 25, 1757
Children's occupations later in life	Samuel Adams, Jr. was a doctor
Famous relatives	His 2nd cousin, John Adams, became 2nd President of the United States
Samuel Adams Facts - The Revolutionary War
How he got involved in the independence effort?	When his business failed in 1764 Adams entered politics full-time. In May 1764, he drafted the instructions given by the town of Boston to its newly chosen representatives in regard to the proposed Stamp Act. These instructions were the first public protest in America against the right of Parliament to tax the colonies. The instructions were widely distributed and made Samuel Adams' name known throughout the colonies.
Did he see military action during the war?	No
Samuel Adams Facts - Offices
Which party was he in?	Country party, Anti-Federalist party
Which government offices did he hold?	Elected a clerk of Boston Market - 1743 at age 21 Elected tax collector - 1756-1764 Elected to Massachusetts Assembly - 1765-1774 Clerk of lower House - 1766-1774 Delegate to the Continental Congress - 1774-1781 Member of Massachusetts State Constitutional Convention – 1779-80 President of State Senate - 1781 Delegate to Massachusetts State Convention to Ratify Federal Constitution - 1788 Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts (under Hancock) - 1789-1794 Governor of Massachusetts - 1794-1797
Did he hold any office under the Royal government?	No
Significant accomplishments while in office?	Signed Declaration of Independence - 1776 Signed Articles of Confederation - 1781
Samuel Adams Facts - In his own words
Selected works of Samuel Adams and their dates	Circular Letter from Massachusetts House of Representatives to other State Houses of Representatives - February 11, 1768 Resolutions of the Boston Town Meeting - September 13, 1768 Mysteries of Government - February 27, 1769 The Rights of the Colonists - November 20, 1772 Circular Letter of the Boston Committee of Correspondence - May 13, 1774 "American Independence" - Speech delivered at the State House in Philadelphia - August 31, 1776 Proclamation of Fasting and Prayer - February 28, 1795
Samuel Adams Quotes	"If you love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home and leave us in peace. We seek not your council, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our country men." "We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come." - As the Declaration of Independence was being signed in 1776 “Better tidings will soon arrive. Our cause is just and righteous and we shall never be abandoned by Heaven while we show ourselves worthy of its aid and protection.” - While encouraging wavering Continental Convention delegates in gloomy winter of 1776-1777 More Samuel Adams Quotes here
Samuel Adams Facts - The close of his life
Date and age of retirement	Retired in 1798 at the age of 76
Date of death	October 2, 1803 at age of 81
Location of grave	Granary Burying Ground, Boston, Massachusetts
Epitaph on gravestone	Here Lies Buried Samuel Adams Signer of the Declaration of Independence Governor of this Commonwealth A Leader of Men and an Ardent Patriot Born 1722 Died 1803 Massachusetts Sons of the Society Revolution
Samuel Adams Facts - Other Interesting Sam Adams Facts
Character and disposition	Average build. Words that describe him – conscientious, a noble genius within, more than ordinary inflexibility of character and purpose, great sincerity, simplicity, interesting, instructive, concise, impressive, inflexible firmness, patriotic ardour, full of hope, resolute, eager for action
Landmarks for Samuel Adams	Statue of Samuel Adams in front of Faneuil Hall in Boston Massachusetts The Old South Meeting House, located on the Boston historic Freedom Trail on the corner of Washington and Milk streets. It became famous as the location of the meeting that preceded the Boston Tea Party during which Samuel Adams delivered a speech and gave a secret signal to start the action by saying the phrase “This meeting can do nothing more to save the country!” The meeting was held there, as there was no other building in Boston capable of fitting the 5,000 people that were present.
Other interesting Samuel Adams Facts	Organized first Committee of Correspondence A Founder of "The Sons of Liberty" in November 1765. First to propose a Continental Congress Helped write Articles of Confederation in 1777 Opposed ratifying Constitution until the Bill of Rights was added Suggested Jacob Duche open in prayer at First Continental Congress In old age, he suffered from symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. "Samuel Adams: America's World Class Beer" is named for him due to his early occupation as a brewer.