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As arguably the town most responsible for pushing the North American colonies toward war with Great Britain, Boston presents a unique opportunity to survey the evolution of the essential ideas that produced the American Revolution. Hub Town Tours will bring you along as the people of Boston, over a 20-year period from 1760 to 1780, struggled to define the principles eventually enshrined in the Declaration of Independence in July 1776: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their CREATOR, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."
Now, one of the most essential branches of English liberty is the freedom of one's house. A man's house is his castle." You must not deprive the colonies of their right to make laws for themselves. [British] Parliament should only make laws necessary for the empire as a whole." |
We esteem no sacrifice too great, no conflict too severe, to redeem our inestimable rights and privileges." If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies, we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation." |
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." For no people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when Knowledge is diffused and Virtue is preserved." |
