Samuel Adams: Son of Liberty, Father of Revolution

by Benjamin H. Irvin

Overview

The story of one of the most important — and most elusive — figures of the American Revolution, Samuel Adams traces the life of the "Man of the Revolution," as he was called by Thomas Jefferson, from his childhood as a fifth-generation New Englander to his pivotal role in the Boston Tea Party and war that followed to a life spent in public service. Benjamin Irvin explores the fascinating contradictions of Samuel Adams's life: he was born into a family of high rank, but lived a humble, almost impoverished life; he could barely manage his personal household, but brilliantly managed the Massachusetts House of Representatives; he pushed for the Revolution, but resisted the Constitution; he spearheaded resistance to the English government but staunchly opposed resistance to the U.S. government. A perceptive look at the life of a complex man, Samuel Adams is an evocative portrait of one of our nation's most interesting Founding Fathers.

Oxford Portraits are informative and insightful biographies of people whose lives shaped their times and continue to influence ours. Based on the most recent scholarship, they draw heavily on primary sources, including writings by and about their subjects. Each book is illustrated with a wealth of photographs, documents, memorabilia, framing the personality and achievements of its subject against the backdrop of history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195132250
Publisher:	Oxford University Press, USA
Publication date:	10/31/2002
Series:	Oxford Portraits Series
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 6.80(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

Editorial Reviews

"Irvin's account of events is exciting and written in a compelling narrative style. He presents an unbiased assessment of Adams's actions and character...Some articles and other primary-source documents, judiciously abridged, appear throughout the book...A fine, objective biography that establishes the subject's egalitarian philosophies and explains the political realities of his day in an engaging manner." — School Library Journal (starred review)

"An objective biography of one of the architects of the American Revolution....Interesting detail, primary-source excerpts, and black-and-white reproductions enhance the accessible text." —Curriculum Connections

From the Publisher

The story of Sam Adams is also the story of the origins of the American Revolution. This Boston patriot, a true Son of Liberty, participated in or witnessed all the major events leading to the break with Britain. Educated at Harvard and inspired by the writings of John Locke, Adams firmly believed that government existed for the good and at the will of the governed. When various laws enacted by the English Parliament sought to tax or restrict the trade of the colonies, Adams and others argued that such restrictions were, in fact, illegal. Although appalled at the riots to which such ideas occasionally led, Adams and men such as his second cousin John Adams, John Hancock, James Otis, and Paul Revere believed that they had the right to rebel. When, improbably, all thirteen colonies were ready to react against the pressure from England, the incessant news from Massachusetts sparked first a congress united against the Stamp Act and then, most famously, the First and Second Continental Congresses, which culminated in the Declaration of Independence. This solid, readable biography includes a sampling of primary resources, among them illustrations, cartoons, documents, and letters. It comes together as both the story of a radical, rational, politically skilled man and of the Revolution that he and others feared and fomented. Index. Illus. Further Reading. Chronology. VOYA CODES: 4Q 3P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Will appeal with pushing; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2002, Oxford University Press, 160p. PLB
— Lynne Hawkins

VOYA

Gr 7 Up-An objective biography of one of the architects of the American Revolution. Irvin places Adams firmly in the context of his time and our nation's history. Interesting detail, primary-source excerpts, and black-and-white reproductions enhance the accessible text. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal