The Sons of Liberty: A Shove Towards Freedom
By: Callista Ordonez
Grade: 11th
Address: 1542 West Fern Ave., Redlands CA 92373
Telephone: (909)-213-9743
Email: [email protected]
Redlands High School
840 E. Citrus Ave., Redlands CA 92373
Phone: (909)-307-5500
What do you “owe” yourself? Generally, the average response would include
happiness, money, love, good health, materialistic items, or any other element that could
fulfill a heart’s deepest desires. However, if you lived in the time-period from 1775 to
1783, the average desire would be an unlikely reply for today’s time in America:
independence. The American War of Independence, more commonly known as the
American Revolutionary War, lasted from 1775 to 1783 against the colonists and the
British Empire. Outraged by the limiting and controlling rule of the British Kingdom,
members of the original thirteen colonies decided to break away from their ties with the
British so that they could seek personal liberty. Despite many colonists feeling
empowered and overjoyed at the prospects of being able to formulate their own nation,
many British loyalists were filled with disbelief and disgust at the thought of breaking
away. As a result, numerous loyalists remained faithful to the British Crown during the
duration of the war. Yet, when a selectively secret group called the Sons of Liberty
emerged around 1765 and began to carry out a series of revolutionary acts, they began to
gain more followers as time went on. Therefore, the Sons of Liberty were the
overpowering stimulant to the start of the American Revolutionary War due to the
group’s ideologies, strong leaders, and public acts that ultimately motivated the masses
towards war (myrevolutionarywar.com).
When one seeks to unveil a higher destination, a target must first be set. Seeing
that, members of the Sons of Liberty decided that rebellion was the supreme option to
reach their goal of freedom from the British reign. Somerville discloses, “Colonial
merchants rebelled. They refused to pay the stamp tax or to buy British goods.
Massachusetts asked for help from other colonies. New York and Pennsylvania agreed to
join a boycott of British goods. The boycott was not a simple matter. It stopped the
import of furniture, cloth, wine, tea, coffee, and even food needed for the colonies”
(Somervill 37). As a result of the group declaring that rebellion was a prime feature
within their uprisings, members worked vigorously to uphold their beliefs through their
daily actions. Clearly this ambitious group not only decided to defy the social standards
that they believed constricted them, but they also sought to rally others to join them in
their battle for independence. Somervill recounts, “He joined known rebels Sam Adams,
James Otis, and Thomas Cushing on the council. These men changed Hancock from a
loyal subject to a colonial patriot” (Somervill 39). Similar to many aspects of life, the
Sons of Liberty quickly recognized that the most efficient way to win a fight is through a
strong, loyal, and persistent force. To ensure an unwavering group, the leaders of the
Sons of Liberty worked tirelessly to carry the group’s principles on a day-to-day basis.
Somverill explains, “Boston’s leaders delivered this message to the lieutenant governor:
‘That is it the unanimous opinion of this meeting that the inhabitants and soldiery can no
longer live together in safety; that nothing can rationally be expected to restore the peace
of the town and prevent further blood and carnage [deaths], but the immediate removal of
the troops; and that we therefore…pray his Honour, that his power and influence may be
exerted for their instant removal” (Somervill 47-48). Surely, if the Sons of Liberty had
not dared to do the unthinkable-defy their former government to reach autonomy-then the
beautiful America that that is believed by millions today might not have emerged.
To carry on the legacy in which the Sons of Liberty began, the group could often
be found boycotting goods, rallying, or speaking out against Britain. However it was
through these public acts of defiance that in the fullness of time, the colonists became
persuaded to fight with the “rebels”. One of the group’s first instances in which they
attempted to ruffle the feathers of the British Empire was through disturbing the lifestyles
of the British. For instance, Bridenbaugh divulges, “…Marred by the presence of ‘Some
Ruffians in the Gallery who so frequently interrupted the Performance, and in the most
interesting Scenes.’ Carpenters, masons and tailors, he went on, who pay only three
shillings for admission, have no license to be outrageous…A British official, Williams
Eddis, also found the ‘Sons of Liberty’ in the gallery a ‘nuisance” (Bridenbaugh 143).
Certainly, if the Sons of Liberty had not caused some form of an uproar against the
British, then they would not have received an outstanding amount of supporters. As the
numbers of their followers rose, the bravery and acts of rebellion of the group rose as
well. The most famous act preformed from the Patriots was the Boston Tea Party, which
occurred in 1773 and involved the rebels dumping about three hundred and forty-two
chests of tea in the Atlantic Ocean (bostonteapartyship.com). Another prime example of a
public act of revolt that transpired was through the burning of stamps. Mintz divulges,
“On April 11, 1765…The Sons of Liberty emerged to voice popular sentiment not only
against overseas control but also against aristocratic domination at home; and at first the
aristocrats were with them, thinking to profit from their support. There followed riots and
burnings of stamp shipments…further troubles developed over the refusal of the
assembly to appropriate funds for the support of British troops, in defiance of the
Parliamentary Mutiny Act of 1765” (Mintz 20). Overall, the Sons of Liberty carried out
such acts because in their minds, they viewed it as a pathway towards reaching success.
Undoubtedly, if the colonists had not taken extreme measures to stand up against the
British, then their independence would have never been recognized.
Due to the core beliefs and courageous leadership the Sons of Liberty, along with
their empowering essence to rouse a firm unity of rebellious colonists, the group was
successful in convincing numerous individuals towards war. Influential member of the
Sons of Liberty, Patrick Henry, once proposed: “They tell us, sir, that we are weak;
unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Sir, we
are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed
in our power” (goodreads.com). In the moment that such words were proposed, it is easy
to see how the Sons of Liberty were truly responsible for making the final shove towards
war. Whether it was through their rambunctious acts or courageous faith, the Sons of
Liberty left an impressive mark on American History. They proved that in order to reach
a high-valued goal, sometimes a strenuous fight must take place. For if mankind does not
have the courage to set out and uncover their desires in life, then progress will never be
found.
Works Cited
Kindig, Tomas. "Sons of Liberty | American History | 1765." Boston Tea Party
Ships and Museum. Independence Hall Association, 22 July 2011. Web.
02 Dec. 2016. <https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/sons-of-liberty>.
Myrevolutionarywar.com Authors. "The American Revolutionary War." The
Revolutionary War. USwars.com, 02 Dec. 2016. Web. 02 Dec. 2016.
<http://www.myrevolutionarywar.com/>.
Somervill, Barbara A. John Hancock: Signer for Independence. Minneapolis, MN:
Compass Point, 2005. Print.
Mintz, Max M. Gouverneur Morris and the American Revolution. Norman: U of
Oklahoma, 1970. Print.
Bridenbaugh, Carl, and Jessica Bridenbaugh. Rebels and Gentlemen: Philadelphia in the
Age of Franklin. New York: Oxford UP, 1962. Print.
Hitchens, Christopher. "Quotes About American Revolution (79 Quotes)." (79 Quotes).
Good Reads Inc, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2016.
<http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/american-revolution>.
Personal Biography
My name is Callista Ordonez and I am a junior at Redlands High School. I was
born in Riverside California and I have lived in Redlands California my entire life.
Growing up, I attended a small Catholic school from pre-k to the eighth grade. After
middle school I enrolled into my current high school, RHS, which is my local public
school. My experience at RHS has been absolutely phenomenal so far. I constantly enjoy
trying new activities and as a result I am an active Kimberly Junior, member and vice
president on the RHS Speech and Debate Team, I volunteer at the Loma Linda Hospital, I
am on RHS swim team, I lector at my church, I am an active member and vice president
of a community service club called Octagon Club, and I am an AP/honors student.
Outside of school I enjoy going to the gym, reading, and running in my free time. After
high school I aspire to attend and graduate from a four-year university and go to medical
school to study pediatric oncology.