Samuel Adams

1. A strong opponent of British taxation • A political leader in the American Revolution • Organized the Boston Tea Party • Founded Boston's committee of correspondence, which was a powerful tool for America's communication and coordination during the Revolutionary War. • Along with John Hancock, Adams formed the Sons of Liberty, a colonial activist coalition. • Signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence. • He represented Massachusetts in the Continental Congress from 1774 through 178 • Founding father of the United States • Adams played a crucial role in spreading the principle of colonial rights throughout New England. • He was elected to the Massachusetts convention on the ratification of the Constitution in 1787 Samuel Adams September 27, 1772—October 2, 1803 "It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds."– Samuel Adams

2. Founding father of the United States • He was a president of the Second Continental Congress • Hancock used his wealth and influence to aid the movement for American independence. • To avoid British taxation, Hancock also allegedly taken smuggled goods aboard his vessels and was later caught by British authorities • After the Boston Massacre, Hancock chaired the committee that demanded the removal of British forces. • Hancock was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. • His signature was evidence of treason if things didn’t go well in the war. • Hancock raised money for the Revolution, he helped secure troops, and he played a role in getting naval forces organized. • Hancock had health issues by 1787 and wasn’t in the Massachusetts delegation. • “There, I guess King George will be able to read that without his spectacles!” – John Hancock John Hancock January 23, 1737 – October 8, 1793 “Let every man do what is right in his own eyes.”

3. He played a key role for the Loyalist cause in Georgia. • He commanded a regiment of loyalists known as the King's Rangers. • On August 2, 1775 a crowd of Sons of Liberty confronted him at his house where they took him prisoner with a fractured skull, and then he was tied to a tree and roasted by fire, scalped, tarred, and feathered. • He developed a plan to support Augusta area Tories with Indian allies from the West. • He help complete this plan by living with the Creeks from 1776 to 1777, where he gained their confidence. • With the help from the Creeks, he developed a network from Florida to the Carolinas. • Under threat of arrest by the Revolutionary government of South Carolina, he fled to British East Florida. • Governor Tonyn commissioned Brown as a lieutenant colonel of the Florida Rangers in June 1776. • Brown formed a regiment of rangers, recruited Indian allies, and began a campaign of harassment of the Georgia frontiers. • In 1779 he was appointed Superintendent of Creek and Cherokee Indians Thomas Burnfoot Brown May 27, 1750 – August 3, 1825

4. Helped capture of the British garrison of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. • In 1776, he created difficulties at a British invasion of New York at the Battle of Lake Champlain. • In 1777, he help w Benedict Arnold January 14, 1741– June 14, 1801