In 1764, a small town in the British colony of Massachusetts ignited a bold rebellion. When Great Britain levied the Sugar Act on its American colonies, Parliament was not prepared for Boston's backlash. For the next decade, Loyalists and rebels harried one another as both sides revolted and betrayed, punished and murdered. Samuel Adams and John Hancock were reluctant allies. Paul Revere couldn't recognize a traitor in his own inner circle. And George Washington dismissed the efforts of the Massachusetts rebels as unimportant. Historian Brooke Barbier tells the story of how a city radicalized itself against the world's most powerful empire and helped found the United States of America.
Brooke Barbier received her PhD in American history from Boston College. She founded and owns Ye Olde Tavern Tours, offering spirited tours of Boston's Freedom Trail. When she's not thinking or talking about history, she's watching baseball, especially the Red Sox. A native of San Diego, she has resided in Boston for fifteen years.