Such a troubled time, with so many forces coming together to cause the Patriots to rise up and choose a new government. I had an ancestor executed in the Regulator War, a much smaller uprising four years prior to the events you describe that culminated in the Battle of Alamance and the execution of several men who led a group who banded together to protest the improper practices (extortion) in collecting taxes that resulted in the seizure of land.
The passage in church yesterday reminded me that this type of tyranny is a tale as old as time: 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” 13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. 14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.” Luke 3:12-14
Last night, I was reading an essay my daughter wrote and some of the research she gathered on this very subject. The forces that led to the Boston Tea Party brewed for many years before the violence that led to war erupted. The execution of my ancestor in North Carolina was even broadcast in Boston....anger brewed over the violence that befell those who sought justice.
Thank you for sharing the story about your ancestor. What happened to them is deeply tragic, but it’s remarkable that your family has preserved such a powerful piece of history. Stories like these bring history to life in a way that textbooks rarely can.
We often think of history as a collection of specific dates - like the Boston Tea Party - etched into our memories from school. But history isn’t just a series of isolated events marked on a timeline. It’s an unfolding story, shaped by countless actions, big and small, that lead to the moments we remember.
It’s important to recognize that history isn’t just what happens to people - it’s also what people make happen, for better or worse. That perspective reminds us of the human element in every historical event.
Whenever I hear people lament how difficult our current times are, I think back to other turbulent periods in history - like the American Revolution - when it must have felt as though the world was unraveling. Yet even in those moments, people found ways to resist and push forward.
Tyranny, sadly, is a recurring force in human history. But what gives me hope is the resilience of the human spirit and the faith that people have risen up against oppression time and again. That belief, along with my faith, strengthens my optimism for the future.
Such a troubled time, with so many forces coming together to cause the Patriots to rise up and choose a new government. I had an ancestor executed in the Regulator War, a much smaller uprising four years prior to the events you describe that culminated in the Battle of Alamance and the execution of several men who led a group who banded together to protest the improper practices (extortion) in collecting taxes that resulted in the seizure of land.
The passage in church yesterday reminded me that this type of tyranny is a tale as old as time: 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” 13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. 14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.” Luke 3:12-14
Last night, I was reading an essay my daughter wrote and some of the research she gathered on this very subject. The forces that led to the Boston Tea Party brewed for many years before the violence that led to war erupted. The execution of my ancestor in North Carolina was even broadcast in Boston....anger brewed over the violence that befell those who sought justice.
Thank you for sharing the story about your ancestor. What happened to them is deeply tragic, but it’s remarkable that your family has preserved such a powerful piece of history. Stories like these bring history to life in a way that textbooks rarely can.
We often think of history as a collection of specific dates - like the Boston Tea Party - etched into our memories from school. But history isn’t just a series of isolated events marked on a timeline. It’s an unfolding story, shaped by countless actions, big and small, that lead to the moments we remember.
It’s important to recognize that history isn’t just what happens to people - it’s also what people make happen, for better or worse. That perspective reminds us of the human element in every historical event.
Whenever I hear people lament how difficult our current times are, I think back to other turbulent periods in history - like the American Revolution - when it must have felt as though the world was unraveling. Yet even in those moments, people found ways to resist and push forward.
Tyranny, sadly, is a recurring force in human history. But what gives me hope is the resilience of the human spirit and the faith that people have risen up against oppression time and again. That belief, along with my faith, strengthens my optimism for the future.
It's appalling to think how far Massachusetts has fallen from its roots in the quest for American independence, isn't it?
I agree with you that some things were happening like a small campfire that got out of control.