Samuel Adams
1722–1803
Boston
Samuel Adams was a Boston political organizer who helped turn disagreements with British rule into a movement for independence. He wrote arguments, built networks, and worked through town meetings and committees of correspondence. These committees helped communities share news and coordinate responses. Adams served in the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. After the Revolution, he participated in Massachusetts government and eventually became governor. His story shows that revolutions depend on communication and organization as well as battles. It also invites questions about who could participate in public decisions at the time.
You can use your device’s reading tools or read with a partner.
Find a detail. Build an idea.
- What did this person or group do? Point to a detail in the reading.
- Whose voice did this person bring into public decisions?
- What would you like to find out next? Which kind of source could help?
“Samuel Adams mattered because ___. A detail that supports my idea is ___.”
Grades 6–8: dig deeper
How did sharing information help separate towns act together during the conflict with Britain?
Follow the evidence.
This short reading is an original classroom summary. Open the source with your teacher to check details and learn more.
Read the source: National Park Service ↗Ask: Who made this source? What can it tell us? What might it leave out?