Friday December 28, 2012Today we go to Boston to learn what makes Americans tick.
Coming from Sydney even a light dusting of snow is exciting... But what awaits us as we continue to travel north? Time will tell.
Boston, a rather tidy city
The state motto of Massachusetts is "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty". Liberty is a pretty big theme in these here parts. Boston may be considered the birthplace of the American Revolution and its very much still alive. So, to learn about the history we went to the Tea Party Museum.
Just what is "The Boston Tea Party"? we hear you thinking. In a nutshell, it was a violent protest by American colonists against King George III's rule in America way back in December 16, 1773.
Some historical context for our fellow antipodans, a Yorkshire chap by the name of Captian Cook first sets foot in New South Wales at Botany Bay in 1770 April 29. Anyway.
In the American colonies the British government had been putting taxes on almost everything that Americans wanted to buy, including tea. In their minds, he pushed them over a fiscal cliff... The Americans had no one to speak for them in the British government. They were mad that they were being taxed by the government but had no part in how the government was run. They did not think it was right to pay taxes when they did not have a representative in the government ("No taxation without representation!"). Also merchants selling their goods would lose their profit because of the taxes. The Americans began purchasing smuggled goods, which were much cheaper.
To show how angry they were, a group of people named the Sons of Liberty dressed up as Native Americans and went onto ships in the Boston harbor. They took boxes of tea and dumped them into the water. This made the British government angry. The British government made even harder laws for the people of the Massachusetts colony. One of these laws was The Intolerable Acts which said that Boston harbor was closed until the colonists paid back all the tea they lost. The Boston Tea Party was one of the main things that started the American Revolutionary War.
At the Tea Party Museum we were transported back in time to 1773 as actors rallied the masses to revolution in a reconstructed Old South Meeting House. We sat in the back of the room hoping avoid being drawn into the politics and to remain politically neutral pilgrims.
Samuel Adams enthusiastically describes the various injustices of the British rule.
On board the British tea ship.
The destruction of the tea
Janka and Alex, innocent bystanders
Sailors sleeping quarters
Little does the captain know what treasonous acts are taking place on the deck above as he pens his blog... I mean log
The harbor (why do Australians put a 'u' in harbour?)
Now that's a tea party
The Massachusetts State House
Boston Common ice skating
With Janka as our expert guide we walked most of the Freedom Trail. A red (mostly brick) path through downtown Boston, Massachusetts, that leads to a bunch of significant historic sites.
Granary Burying Ground
Mary Goose (1665–1758), unlikely claim familiar to locals as being the original Mother Goose
Paul Revere
Not so much about the freedom trail, we just love the copper cladding
Nice juxtaposition don't you think?
The Quincy Market
The home of Paul Revere built 1680 some time before the invention of the contrasting trim color. For the unamerican amongst our readers, Paul Revere was an American silversmith, early industrialist, and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Paul Revere's Ride."
However, we were patupicularly interested in the displays inside the house that plainly explain that the Puritans of New England passed a series of laws making any observance of Christmas illegal for scriptural reasons.
No significance, just liked it
Same.
The Great Hall or Faneuil Hall, located near the waterfront and today's Government Center, has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. It was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis, and others encouraging independence from Great Britain. Now it is part of Boston National Historical Park and a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail. It is sometimes referred to as "the Cradle of Liberty".
New England Holocaust Memorial having a touch up. If you look closely you can see it refers to Jehovah's Witnesses
Thank you Janka for an excellent history tour of Boston
Janka and her brother Johnny
And here is dinner at the best little Slovakian restaurant in town
Lamb cutlets cooked to perfection... Thank you John
Johnny, Ezio, Janka, Alex, Darina, John, and Allan. Allan was recently sent to Japan by headquaters with a delegation of US RBC brothers to assist with the post tsunami rebuilding and provide shepherding for the victims. What abeautiful organization we are part of.
Well, another most enjoyable day followed by a most enjoyable evening is coming to an end as is our stay in Boston.
Good night
Lloydnalex
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