Sons of Liberty
| Sons of Liberty | |
|---|---|
The Rebellious Stripes Flag | |
| Leaders | See below |
| Dates of operation | 1765–1776 |
| Motives | Before 1766: Opposition to the Stamp Act After 1766: Independence of the United Colonies from Great Britain |
| Active regions | Massachusetts Bay Rhode Island New Hampshire New Jersey New York Maryland Virginia |
| Ideology | Initial phase: "No taxation without representation" Rights of Englishmen Later phase: Classical liberalism Republicanism Separatism |
| Major actions | Public demonstrations, direct action, destruction of Crown goods and property, boycotts, tar and feathering, pamphleteering |
| Notable attacks | Gaspee Affair, Boston Tea Party, attack on John Malcolm |
| Allies | Patriot revolutionaries |
| Opponents | Parliament of Great Britain Royal Colonial Governments Tories and other Crown Loyalists |
The Sons of Liberty was a loosely organized, clandestine, sometimes violent, political organization active in the Thirteen American Colonies founded to defend the rights of the colonists, including the right to representation in the British government trying to tax them. It played a major role in most colonies in battling the Stamp Act in 1765 and throughout the entire period of the American Revolution. Historian David C. Rapoport called the activities of the Sons of Liberty "mob terror."
In popular thought, the Sons of Liberty was a formal underground organization with recognized members and leaders. More likely, the name was an underground term for any men resisting the new Crown taxes and laws. The well-known label allowed organizers to make or create an anonymous summons to a Liberty Tree, "Liberty Pole", or other public meeting-place. Furthermore, a unifying name helped to promote inter-colonial efforts against Parliament and the Crown's actions. Their rallying cry "No taxation without representation” simplified and distilled the broad grievances with Britain down to one easily understood slogan."