Essay Boston Tea Party and Hewes

Submitted By dwaxler15
Words: 1053
Pages: 5
Open Document
Dylan Waxler
History 105
March 18, 2015
The Shoemaker
The American Revolution is extraordinarily important in American History, as it led to the independence of the thirteen colonies from the British. In The Shoemaker and The Tea Party, Alfred F. Young provides a recollection of stories from a colonist during the 17th Century. Before reading about the shoemaker, I only knew about the big name icons and vague detail about events that occurred during prior to the American Revolution. George Robert Twelves Hewes was a colonists that participated in the Boston Massacre and three years later dumping tea into the Boston Harbor. Hewes was a shoemaker in Boston, and just like many other colonists, he participated in many key events during the Revolutionary crisis. The average, working class shoemaker brought to light how important the massacre and the dumping of the tea really were for every colonist. Hewes took part of these events not in trying to be a historical figure, but to fight for his freedom. He might have thought he did not play a big role at the time but as an American, his importance in his history is extremely underrated. Through Hewes’ memory, incredible detail is provided about the early patriotism in founding America.
George Hewes was a child of nine born into a poor family. As a shoemaker, he was very humble and seemed that he saw no pride in what was doing. Being a unusually small man and a Roman Catholic, Hewes was denied the ability to join the army. He struggled after marrying Sally Summer and having three children to provide for his family being a shoemaker. As the time passed with his participation in the events that led to the war, his political perception towards the world changed. Hewes became involved and eager in the events that led to the Revolutionary War. He developed firm beliefs in right and wrong, and stood for his what he believed in. During the time of all the events in Revolutionary War, Hewes had fifteen children. Despite being poor, he continued his patriotism and kind heart nature by continuing to do good deeds for people. Eventually he finally became recognized for his efforts after being discovered in the 1830s by writers eager for Revolutionary stories. His memories were rare and became the core of two books that preserved both his name. Because of the lack of records, Hewes was only ninety-three and was one of the last man alive that participated in the Boston Tea Party. The cover of The Shoemaker and The Tea Party is the portrait his family made for him in his return to Boston. When looking at the painting of him called the “The Centenarian”, he is a very well-dressed man rather than the middle class shoemaker that he really was.
The memories Hewes experiences follows being a by standard during Stamp Act of 1765. As tensions began to grow between the colonies and England, British troops were sent into the city of Massachusetts. The soldiers were not paid well nor did the colonists enjoy them taking over their jobs and homes. The first memory was the shooting of the eleven year old Christian Seider by a British soldier. Then on March 5th, Hewes was on scene for the second event, as barber’s apprentice was in an altercation with a soldier for the overdue. Soon a fight broke out resulting in a crowd of angry colonists defending the boy. Hewes was justified they had every right to be there and became upset with Captain Preston ordering the to back-off. As the shots were fired, Hewes’ vividly remembered James Caldwell falling into arms wounded. He has horrified with results that occurred from a confrontation by the people led to deaths. The second memory was not bloody, but involves Hewes fighting for his freedom. For Hewes, the Massacre had stirred him into political action. By saying stirred, Young evaluates Hewes for his eagerness to fight for his freedom. The Tea Party was Boston colonist’s way to prove for their willingness to commit. Hewes volunteers in the Boston Tea Party of
Show More

Related Documents: Essay Boston Tea Party and Hewes

The Shoemaker And The Tea Party Analysis

The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution was written by Alfred F. Young in 1999. George Robert Twelves Hewes, a Boston shoemaker, became a citizen between 1768 and 1775. Hewes was an active participant in the events that led to the Revolution. Hewes participated in three major events: the Massacre (1770), the Tea Party (1773), and the tarring and feathering of John Malcolm (1774). “All this is conjecture, but it is clear that, though he lived in Boston proper, he was not part…

Words 502 - Pages 3

Boston Tea Party: Focused Rage against the Parliamentary Law Essay

Boston Tea Party When the Boston Tea Party occurred on the evening of December 16,1773, it was the culmination of many years of bad feeling between the British government and her American colonies. The controversy between the two always seemed to hinge on the taxes, which Great Britain required for the upkeep of the American colonies. Starting in 1765, the Stamp Act was intended by Parliament to provide the funds necessary to keep peace between the American settlers and the Native American…

Words 1474 - Pages 6

Review: The Boston Tea Party

Most history books do a decent job of explaining what happened during the Boston Tea Party, but having a first-hand account of what occurred would be a lot more beneficial to those wishing to learn intimate details about the events that happened. George Hewes is a man who participated in the Boston Tea Party and wrote an explanation as to what happened. His account describes particular events and ideas that were presented against Parliament. The British colonies were looking forward to being separated…

Words 998 - Pages 4

Average Man of Revolution Essay example

Even though these type of people drove the revelation and had a hand in many aspects they are over looked by many educating institutions. The story of “George Robert Twelves Hewes” give use the rarly seen perspective of the revolution through the eyes of the average person. Even though putting Hewes next to George Washington makes him seem like he had no role in the revolution, in reality he was at several historical point in the revition. From Start to finnish the American…

Words 706 - Pages 3

Summary: The Shoemaker And The Tea Party

were involved. Alfred F. Young’s book ‘The Shoemaker and the Tea Party,” tells the tale of an ordinary townsman whose engagement in the midst of the revolution. George Robert Twelves exemplifies…

Words 1610 - Pages 7

Stamp Act Dbq

When the Stamp Act was put into effect in 1765 because of the debt accumulated by England during the French and Indian War, the colonists were furious. The tax implemented by England because of the Stamp Act may not have seemed very important, but the rebellion that followed was one of the first examples of the colonists opposing British rule. Although it was not the last, it made an example that would lead to the American Revolution. One thing to remember, though, is that not all groups of people…

Words 338 - Pages 2

History: Tea and Colonists Essay

the colonies revolted against Britain, they passed the Sugar and Stamp Act to regain revenue and basically pay for the war expenses. These documents explain to us first hand some of the problems they faced. Document 6-2, shows how Joseph Warren, a Boston physician and political activist is upset about the British policies and reminded the colonists of their duties. Warren is upset that the British Parliament is taxing them when it isn’t made up of anybody from their province. He is trying to get the…

Words 668 - Pages 3

Unit 1 essay prompts

meeting in Boston 1773 Perspective: A colonial man named George Hewes Point of View: He wanted the Tea Act to be lifted Intended Audience: Readers of History Purpose: For historical context and understanding Summary: George Hewes reiterated the events on the eve of the Boston Tea Party. According to Mr. Hewes a large sum of able-bodied men gathered to discuss what should be done about the “hated tea.” After the meeting a group of men, dressed as Indians, boarded ships and spilt tea into the Boston…

Words 885 - Pages 4

American Revolution and Sheila Skemp Essay

SHAPING AMERICA FINAL SCRIPT TITLE: WRITER: PRODUCER: DRAFT: DATE: Lesson 7: “Making a Revolution” Gretchen Dyer Julia Dyer Final 6 February, 2001 Lesson 7 “Making a Revolution” • VISUAL Final Script • 1 AUDIO 1 UNIT OPENING 2 3 1. VIVID MONTAGE of images of violent protest--e.g.: 1) riots in bread lines during the Depression; 2) the Cultural Revolution in China; 4) the student anti-war demonstrations of the 1960s; 5) MLK’s March on Washington;…

Words 5257 - Pages 22

Foundations Of American Government

between the American colonials and British soldiers boiled over in the Boston Massacre, when a mob harassed British soldiers, who then fired their muskets into the crowd, killing three, mortally wounding two others, and injuring six. Another famous incident which helped inspire the American Revolution was the Boston Tea Party of 1773, launched as a protest to the British Tea Act. This Act gave the British East India Company a tea monopoly, shutting out American traders. Bostonians disguised themselves…

Words 7246 - Pages 29