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Thomas Jefferson's Half-Sister-In-Law

January 14, 1774

Slavery was a horrible part of life in the colonies.  Even worse were the liberties taken by white, male owners with their female slaves.  In 1773, a white owner named John Wayles and his slave mistress, Elizabeth Hemings, had a daughter named Sally who would famously become Thomas Jefferson’s mistress.  Her father, John Wayles, was also the father of Martha Wayles, Thomas Jefferson’s wife since 1772.  Unfortunately, John passed away on May 28, 1773.  As his sole, legal child, Martha Jefferson’s husband, Thomas Jefferson, would inherit all of his property as soon as probate ended, which it did 250 years ago today.

On January 14, 1774, the estate of John Wayles wa finalized with Jefferson receiving everything, including John’s mistress, Elizabeth (Betty), and all of her children, including the infant Sally Hemings (the half-sister of his wife, Martha).  Elizabeth, herself, was at least half English as her father was the owner of her mother as well.  That means Sally was at least 75% white, but still born a slave.

Martha passed away in 1782, and the affair with Sally (his half-sister-in-law) started most likely when Jefferson was in Paris with her (she would have been around 18 years old).  Together they would have at least 6 children between 1795 and 1808, which includes Jefferson’s entire time in the White House.

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Schenectady Liberty Pole

January 12, 1774

On January 26, 1771, a 20-foot-tall Liberty Pole - a tall wooden pole bearing political flags and signs - was put up in Schenectady, New York near the junction of modern-day Ferry and Liberty Streets. The people who erected the pole were protesting “the insistence of the ‘Descendants’ [Dutch descendants] that the ‘Inhabitants’ [British colonists] did not have the right to property within the bounds of the Schenectady” (Schenectady Historical Society).  But there was another Liberty Pole raised in Schenectady 250 years ago today.

On January 12, 1774, the Sons of Liberty erected a second Liberty Pole and unfurled a blue flag with the word Liberty sewn on both sides - a Liberty Flag. The pole was erected at the corner of what is now Church and Union Streets. Approximately 50 citizens gathered to raise the flag, in protest of the Tea Act.

The pole itself was bound in iron with iron nails sticking out all over to discourage it from being cut down.  The original flag belongs to the Schenectady Historical Society and is currently on loan to the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.

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"Enemies to their country"

January 10, 1774

The Committees of Correspondence were a vital means of communication and coordination between the colonies in the years leading up to the Revolution, but just as important were the local committees and the communication between those communities. The Boston Committee of Correspondence wrote a letter to the surrounding towns warning of the evils of the Tea Act and the need to resist “in a most zealous and determined manner…”  One of those towns, which would become famous in a couple of years, responded 250 years ago today.

On January 10, 1774, the citizens of Concord, Massachusetts met at a town meeting to consider and reply to Boston’s letter.  Following the Boston Tea Party, the citizens of Concord were full of patriotic fervor.  They decided on a response that came close to rebellion.  They adopted an article, “not to consume any tea in our respective families – and if agreed to – then to see if the town will adjudge those who will afterwards sell or use any tea in their families as enemies to their country...”

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Look Back: The Golden Century

From time to time (during lulls in the action of our timeline), we will take a look at the events that shaped and led to the events of our main timeline. We will call these segments “Look Back” and try to keep them in the sequence in which they occurred. We’ll start with our first Look Back today with The Golden Century.

The 16th century, for Spain, was known a the Golden Century. It was a time marked by a spirit of exploration and colonization in the newly discovered Americas. Several factors propelled Spain westward. The long struggle against the Muslims in Iberia and Northern Africa instilled a desire for expansion and religious zeal. Navigational advancements presented the possibility of bypassing the Muslim-controlled Eastern trade routes and reaching Asia's riches directly. Perhaps most alluring, however, was the promise of new sources of gold and silver.

Christopher Columbus's "accidental" landing in the Bahamas in 1492 started a wave of Spanish adventures in the New World. Conquistadors like Cortés and Pizarro, driven by a deadly combination of religious fervor, thirst for gold, and personal ambition, carved vast empires out of existing native empires. Cortés vanquished the Aztecs, while Pizarro toppled the Incan Empire, both enriching Spain beyond measure.

Spanish colonization in the New World was brutal and exploitative. The Encomienda system forced indigenous populations into labor to extract gold and silver from mines, leading to widespread death and cultural decimation. Yet, colonization also brought with it cultural exchange. Spanish missionaries spread Catholicism, erecting cathedrals and missions and introducing religious practices that blended with indigenous traditions. Spanish language, architecture, and customs left permanent traces in the Americas, forging new identities and laying the groundwork for future nations.

The wealth flowing from the colonies also fueled the Golden Century's cultural flourishing. Artists like El Greco and Velázquez, whose opulent portraits of royalty and religious scenes reflected the newfound power and piety of Spain. Authors like Miguel de Cervantes created works like "Don Quixote," a satirical reflection of Spanish society infused with the anxieties and ambitions of the age. However, the influx of wealth also had detrimental effects. Inflation soared, hindering domestic industries and weakening Spain's long-term economic stability. Dependence on American resources fueled neglect of domestic development, ultimately contributing to Spain's gradual decline.

However, the Spanish dominance of the era would not go unchallenged. Spain, a staunch Catholic power, viewed England's embrace of Protestantism as a dangerous threat. Furthermore, Elizabeth I had been actively supporting Dutch rebels fighting against Spanish rule in the Netherlands, further straining relations. Adding fuel to the fire, English privateers like Sir Francis Drake plundered Spanish ships and raided Spanish settlements in the New World, inflicting significant losses on the Spanish crown. Finally, Philip II of Spain saw an opportunity to eliminate England as a competitor for dominance in Europe and the Americas, leading to the fateful decision to launch an invasion of England. So he began creating his grand armada.

The Armada, aptly nicknamed the "Invincible Armada" by the Spanish, was a formidable force. Comprising over 130 ships and carrying some 30,000 men, it was the largest fleet ever assembled in Europe at the time.

The Armada set sail in 1588, but its fate was sealed by a perfect storm. Battered by bad weather and facing the nimble and well-coordinated English ships, the Spanish suffered heavy losses. The pivotal battle at Gravelines proved disastrous, forcing the Armada to flee back to Spain, with only a fraction of its original strength. The defeat of the Armada had profound consequences. It shattered Spain's maritime supremacy and dealt a severe blow to its national pride. England's naval prowess was solidified, marking its emergence as a major power on the world stage. The Protestant cause in Europe received a crucial boost, while Philip II's ambitions for global domination were as shattered as his fleet.

The Spanish Armada left an imprint beyond the battlefield. It became a potent symbol of English resistance and national pride. And the Spanish Golden Century left a complex and enduring legacy. While marked by exploitation and suffering of native peoples, it also facilitated cultural exchange and laid the foundation for new societies in the Americas. The wealth generated funded the artistic and intellectual flowering of the Golden Age but ultimately contributed to Spain's economic decline. The defeat of the Spanish Armada allowed a new power to rise in Europe that would come to dominate North America in the same way Spain dominated South America.

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The Tarring and Feathering of John Malcom

January 5, 1774

In October of 1774, a famous illustration by Philip Dawe would be published in London entitled, “The Bostonians Paying the Excise-man, or Tarring and Feathering.”  The illustration was based on actual events that took place 250 years ago today.

The illustration depicts the tarring and feathering of the Boston commissioner of customs, John Malcolm, a Loyalist, by five Patriots on January 5, 1774.  Whether it actually occurred under the Liberty Tree in Boston is not known, nor are the identities of the patriots.  The illustration is more of a political cartoon of the happenings in Boston than a “photograph” of an actual scene taking place.  But to John Malcom, on January 5, 1774, the scene was as real as it gets.

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Dramatis Personae - Samuel Adams

There will be times during the next 10 years when there just weren’t any significant events 250 years ago.  During those lulls, we will be taking a look at some of the major characters of the revolutionary period and providing a short biography - a dramatis personae, if you will.

Born in the heart of Boston in 1722, Samuel Adams wasn't destined for a quiet life. With his family steeped in Puritan politics, and his city simmering with discontent, he emerged with intellectual prowess, unwavering conviction, and a knack for galvanizing public resistance. A master agitator, his journey is a testament to the growing flame of liberty that ignited the fight for independence.

His early years were shaped by the ideals of his father and his studies at Harvard College, and Adams’ ventures into journalism just out of college revealed his ability to write and agitate.

But it wasn’t until he was in his 40s that Adams truly began to shine. The Sugar Act of 1764 marked his turning point. As a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, his oratorical skills blossomed as he challenged Parliament's right to tax without representation. He wrote scathing essays, igniting the flames of protest and garnering support for boycotts of British goods. His words reverberated across the colonies, stirring a collective sense of injustice.

As tensions rose, Adams became a pivotal figure in the Sons of Liberty, a group committed to non-violent resistance. His strategic mind orchestrated protests like the Stamp Act Riot and the Boston Tea Party.  He was masterful at harnessing public anger into acts of symbolic defiance that became potent symbols of colonial solidarity and resistance to British authority.

But Adams was more than a rabble-rouser. He possessed a keen understanding of political systems and the levers of power. He drafted resolutions, lobbied other colonies, and tirelessly advocated for colonial unity. His organization of the committees of correspondence provided a vital communications network, ensuring grievances and ideas flowed freely across the colonies, solidifying the earlies sense of American identity. 

Sam Adams would become one of the earliest men to be called a Founding Father.

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The Charlestown Tea Burning

12/28/1773

On December 25, 1773, just nine days after the Boston Tea Party, the merchants of Charlestown, Massachusetts agreed that they would not sell any tea in town, and even developed a scheme to buyback any tea that had already been sold. They gathered all of that tea together 250 years ago today.

On December 28, 1773, the patriots of Charlestown gathered together at the market square, roughly 1,000 people.  They piled up all the tea that could be found. At noon, they set the pile ablaze in defiance of the British government and the Tea Act.

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The Philadelphia Tea Party

12/25/1773

On October 16, 1773, Patriots led by men such as Benjamin Rush and Thomas Mifflin met in Philadelphia to issue a response to the Tea Act. They produced a document called the Philadelphia Resolutions which basically was a list of eight grievances against Britain. They essentially said that they would not allow any taxed tea to be unloaded in their city. Just over two months later, seven East India ships, led by the Polly, started up Delaware Bay towards Philadelphia, laden with tea. It was made to dock downstream at Chester, Pennsylvania, 250 years ago today.

In Chester, a group of citizens met and escorted Captain Ayres to the largest mass meeting ever in the colonies, over 6,000 people, in Philadelphia (itself the largest city in the colonies). Along the way, he was shown broadsides plastered all over the city which read as follows:

You are sent out on a diabolical Service; and if you are so foolish and obstinate as to complete your Voyage, by bringing your Ship to Anchor in this Port, you may run such a Gauntlet as will induce you, in your last Moments, most heartily to curse those who have made you the Dupe of their Avarice and Ambition.

What think you, Captain, of a Halter around your Neck—ten Gallons of liquid Tar decanted on your Pate—with the Feathers of a dozen wild Geese laid over that to enliven your Appearance?

Only think seriously of this—and fly to the Place from whence you came—fly without Hesitation—without the Formality of a Protest—and above all, Captain Ayres, let us advise you to fly without the wild Geese Feathers.

Captain Ayres got the point. He didn't make any attempt to unload his shipment of 697 chests of tea in Philadelphia. He returned to his ship, refitted it, and the Polly and the other six ships turned around and headed back to Britain.

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Charleston's Tea Party

12/22/1773

While Massachusetts was in the throes of protest over the taxes on tea, they were not the only colony that was upset by this. On December 1, 1773, a cargo of 257 chests of tea was sailed into the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina aboard the ship London. On December 3, a mass meeting was held by the town patriots. The result of the meeting was that the merchants who were importing the tea were convinced to not take possession of the tea. The captain of the ship was required by law to pay the taxes and unload the cargo within 20 days of arrival, so debate continued as to how to proceed. A meeting of the town tradesmen occurred on December 9 that resulted in the formation of America’s very first Chamber of Commerce. With nothing resolved, the cargo remained on the ship for the allowed 20 days, which brings us to 250 years ago today.

On December 22, 1773, the customs clock had expired, and by law, the Collector of Customs was required to seize the cargo. He did so promptly and locked in in storage in the basement of the Exchange Building. Although it was a victory for the patriots in that no taxes were collected and no tea was sold, they were, at the time, a bit embarrassed when news of Boston’s Tea Party finally arrived. There was a feeling that they could have done more. If they had acted similarly, history may better remember the Charleston Tea Party rather than the one that occurred in Boston. But Charleston’s solution proved to be better, though less dramatic, over time. In 1776, the tea in the basement was seized by the Americans and sold to raise money to support the war effort.

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Marshfield Tea Burning

12/19/1773

As news of the Boston Tea Party spread, it sparked patriotic fervor throughout the Massachusetts countryside. But there was one little town south of Boston, along the coast named Marshfield. Marshfield was a “hotbed” of loyalists. So loyal, in fact, that they were the only Massachusetts town occupied by the British for an extended period of time, other than Boston, during the war. And the kicker is, the town invited the British in to protect them! But there was a day when the patriots stole the show in Marshfield, and that day was 250 years ago today.

On December 19, 1773, a group of Marshfield gentlemen led by a couple of patriots broke into the cellar of a building where tea was being stored. They also took tea from places where tea was stored in significant quantities. Much of it had already been confiscated by more moderate patriots in town who were forbidding its sale until it could be returned to Britain. But the more radical elements, spurred on by the Boston Tea Party, weren’t satisfied with this.

After seizing the tea, they loaded it on a cart and hauled it to the top of a small hill across from the common. They dumped it all onto a prominent boulder there, put a torch to it, and set it ablaze. The boulder eventually became known as Tea Rock, and the hill would be known as Tea Rock Hill to this day.

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The 10th Committee of Correspondence

12/18/1773

The various Committees of Correspondence played an important role in the years before the Revolution began. The purpose of these committees was to collect and communicate information and discuss strategy with each other and between colonies.  They initially formed locally, but then, in March of 1773, Virginia formed a colony Committee and called on the other colonies to join them. And one of them officially did so, 250 years ago today.

On this date in 1773, North Carolina became the 10th colony to form a Committee of Correspondence in response to Virginia’s call.

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Pual Revere's Ride (no, not that one)

12/17/1773

Many of us recognize the name Paul Revere thanks, in large part, to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalizing his “Midnight Ride” to warn the countryside that “the British are coming.” But Revere did so much more for the cause than just this one ride.  He was a silversmith and engraver who used his talents to provide propaganda, in visual form, for the patriots.  He also took another ride 250 years ago today.

Four days before his 39th birthday, the Boston Committee of Correspondence tasked a 38-year-old silversmith named Paul Revere with a simple, but important task.  He was to ride as swiftly as possible to deliver the news of the Boston Tea Party to the cities of New York and Philadelphia (and presumably, all other points he passed through).  The Tea Party that had occurred the night before had galvanized the patriot cause in Boston and they were hoping for the same in other major cities. As a patriot who had been involved in the movement for a decade already, Revere gladly accepted the task and left on his less famous ride.

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The Boston Tea Party

12/16/1773

It can be argued that the first memorable action taken by the American colonists against the authority of the British crown in the Revolutionary period was the Boston Tea Party.  And that action set off a chain of events that eventually led to the creation of the United States of America.  That memorable event, forever burned into our national consciousness, occurred 250 years ago today.

In the years leading up to the Boston Tea Party, tensions between the American colonies and the British government had been escalating.*  The Tea Act of 1773, imposed by the British Parliament, granted the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies and allowed them to sell surplus tea directly to the colonies through consignees at a reduced tax. This move was seen by the colonists as a ploy to undercut local merchants and smugglers. In response to these perceived injustices, colonial leaders organized Committees of Correspondence, a network that facilitated communication between the colonies and fostered a sense of unity. Figures like Samuel Adams played a crucial role in galvanizing public opinion against British policies, using newspapers and pamphlets to disseminate information about threats to colonial liberties.

Protesters throughout many of the colonies were able to force the tea consignees to resign or to return the tea to England. However, in Massachusetts (Boston in particular), Governor Thomas Hutchinson was determined enforce royal authority. He urged the tea consignees not to give in to the bully tactics of the patriots.  Actions of the British troops enforcing earlier laws and the Boston Massacre in 1770 only fueled the patriots resolve.  It was a standoff.  

The Dartmouth arrived in late November with a hull full of tea prompting Samuel Adams to hold a mass meeting that drew thousands. The meeting passed a resolution urging the captain of the ship to turn around and go home.  But Governor Hutchinson refused to grant permission for the ship to depart. The captain legally had to unload his cargo by December 17 or disobey orders and leave. The Eleanor arrived with its cargo of tea and faced a similar dilemma. On December 15, Beaver arrived.  Three ships, full of tea, sat in Boston Harbor; their captains feeling like they were sitting on a powder keg.

On the evening of December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams held another mass meeting where approximately 6,000 people out of a population of 16,000 showed up.  They were informed that Governor Hutchinson still refused to allow the ships to depart. The tea was scheduled for offload in the morning. Samuel Adams said, “This meeting can do nothing further to save the country.”  Shortly after he said that, the meeting began to break up.  According to eyewitnesses, Adams tried to keep the meeting together, but failed.

A small group of colonists (reports vary between 30-130 men), most disguised as Mohawk natives to conceal their identities, boarded the three British ships anchored in Boston Harbor. They politely requested the keys to the holds and were given them. For three hours, the protesters “unloaded” 342 chests of tea (92,000 pounds) into the icy waters of Boston Harbor. They used their tomahawks to break open the locked chests to ensure that the tea was ruined by the salt water. However, they meticulously refused to do any other damage to the ships and did not harm the crews.  The damage done was entirely to the East India Company and the British government.  The cost of the evening was roughly $1.7 million in today's money.

*We’ll be looking at events in American history in the years before the Boston Tea Party in blog posts that will be called “Look Backs.” These posts will be made during periods on the calendar when there wasn’t much else going on.

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Welcome to American Revolution - 250 Years Later. I'm going to take you on a 10-year journey through the entire Revolution on a day-by-day basis. Each day (well, each day that something interesting happened) I'll post the events that happened 250 years ago. I've chosen to start with the Boston Tea Party (more about that on Saturday, the official first day!) on December 16, 1773, and we'll finish with the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783 (in 2033). There may be more I decide to do with this retelling as we move forward, but for now, this is the plan! I hope you join me on this 10-year journey through the American Revolution.