Americans enjoy July 4th as a day to celebrate summer. Can we take a few moments from our cookouts and firework displays to acknowledge the significance of the signing of the Declaration of Independence? Might we reflect on the courage not only of the members of the Continental Congress — but also those on the battlefield who were charged with making this Declaration of Independence a reality. It would …
Great Britian’s Seven Years War with France proved a great financial drain. Those in England were already burdened with taxes. The American Colonies, well established by 1760, seemed the perfect means for new revenue. The King of England had sent troops to fight the French forces on the American frontier. Certainly, the colonies needed to show their appreciation by their submission in providing the monies necessary for this defense–or …
What set Massachusetts apart from the sister colonies? By the mid 18th century, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was populated by multigenerational families which had depended on one another for well over 100 years. Their system of education for both sons and daughters was well-established. They shared the same Christian dogma. And the abuse of Parliament was encountered in Massachusetts twenty-five years before the Stamp Act of 1765. Struggling with …