“Troubling their Neighbors”: Boston Mobilizes against the Stamp Act

Exploring the Stamp Act: Hangings in Effigy, Crowd Actions, and Funerals for “Liberty”

Just after the conclusion of the French and Indian War, the Parliament of Great Britain passed a series of policies intended to reshape the workings of its American empire. Colonial Boston already had a history of antagonistic dealings with imperial officials, and the townspeople reacted violently in response to the Stamp Act of 1765. Paul Revere belonged to a waterfront community that mobilized a strong coalition against the Stamp Act. Although royal officials attempted to divide Bostonians along class lines, the town stood unified. Professor Benjamin L. Carp of Brooklyn College, CUNY, will illuminate Boston’s waterfront community, describe the actions of its radical coalition, and explain why Revere and his compatriots were so successful. This series is made possible by a grant from the Lowell Institute.