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Samuel Adams, a la Shmoop. There are a handful of early Americans whose
names are still known by everyone. One of these was the controversial Samuel
Adams. But why was Adams so controversial?
Is it just because of his beer? Not that you would know anything about it…
Good ol’ Samuel was often in the company of his cousin, John Adams.
They were usually called the “Adams Brothers,” mainly because people misunderstood how to
read family trees. While he was a good politician, Sam was not
the world’s greatest businessman,,, …and, ironically, a bad brewer.
He started his career as a tax collector for the Brits…
…but used the job as a way to expose British corruption.
Knowing all the movers and shakers in Boston, he got elected to the Massachusetts Assembly
in 1765. It was there that he was the first person
to propose the idea for the Continental Congress. When the Congress formed, Sammy was one of
its first members… …and became a fiery advocate for rebellion.
He pushed the Congress into issuing a pretty important document.
Maybe you’ve heard of it. He also pushed for the formation of the United
States as a Republic. He even helped write “The Articles of Confederation”,
a prequel to the Constitution. Even with all the positive things Adams did,
he’s a controversial figure today. Some historians believe he was a forward thinking
patriot. To others, he was a rabble-rouser who used
propaganda to push people to violence. Regardless of what you believe, Adams’ importance
in the formation of the United States cannot be argued.
What do you think? Was Adams ahead of the curve?
Or did he just like pulling people’s strings? Shmoop amongst yourselves.