Revolutionary Culture

A Tory is the same thing as an American colonist who supported the British during the American Revolution. These people were also known as Loyalists. Inglis describes the Rebel’s as being overly concerned with what the Loyalists preach and said that they are acting in violent ways towards their Loyalist brethren. He feels that in the Rebel’s minds, “that those who were not for them, were against them.” Ultimately, the Loyalist ministers had to shut up their churches so as to not be prosecuted by the Rebel’s. I personally am not surprised that an estimated 20 percent of the free population sided with Britain, and I feel that I too may have joined with the Loyalists out of fear that this new and untried government that the Rebels wanted may not work out so well.

Mercy feels that “politicks” commands “the attention of the mother and wife” due to it being so interwoven with the enjoyments of social and domestic life. Mercy doesn’t apologize for “touching on a subject a little out of line of female attention,” because she feels that her husband wouldn’t mind and neither would Fayerweather’s husband. Also, she feels like the arguments for independence have grown too big to be ignored by the women in the colonies. Hannah is describing the Boston Massacre to her friend Mercy, and telling her how horrible it was and how she cannot meet her friend due to all of this. Both of these letters are showing the limitations that women had on them during these times. Both women are scared and wish to change that, but cannot due too social norms being in the way of this.

Adams feels that the ownership of property is an excellent prerequisite to voting because he claims people who don’t own property, “are too dependent upon other men,” and that a man who owns property also holds power in this land. Adam’s ideas would not be very practical today simply because not everyone owns their property, for instance, some people rent or lease their property and would, according to Adam’s, not be allowed to vote. Adam’s feared that if people who don’t own land or women and children were allowed to vote, that this would cause uproar in the colonies because everyone would want more than they need or deserve. He feels that by allowing this to happen that there would be no division among ranks, and that society would be destroyed essentially.