Rise To Rebellion: A Novel of the American Revolution

Although John Adams bemoans the glacial pace of the Continental Congress—its endless debates and speeches that yield very little tangible results—the congress is a monumental step in the path toward American independence. For the first time, the colonies unite as a single representative body, putting their cultural differences aside to address the problem of British rule. The congress is significant also as a statement to England that the colonies can unite. Up until that moment, the king and his ministers assumed the colonies are too divided culturally and politically to come together, but the congress disproves that assumption. Although progress is slow, the congress succeeds on several fronts: forming an army and appointing a commander; petitioning England for a redress of its grievances; and most importantly, crafting the document that will officially sever ties with England once and for all. The importance of the declaration cannot be overstated. By signing it, delegates effectively declare themselves in rebellion to the crown and risk hanging if they are arrested. While the problems with the Continental Congress are numerous, its very formation signals to England that colonies are serious about independence, and that they are willing to practice what they preach.

The Sons of Liberty are a loose affiliation of “provocateurs” who use civil disobedience to call attention to what they view as serious transgressions of the British Empire. Sam Adams is the most notable member in the narrative. His relentless, inflammatory rhetoric and talent for organization results in several key protests in Boston designed to irritate British authority and to push moderate colonists to the radical fringes. The Sons of Liberty have several tangible successes, notably the repeal of the Stamp Act. They facilitate the Boston Tea Party, and their harassment of British troops results in the shooting of civilians later known as the Boston Massacre. The Sons of Liberty, while despised by the king and his ministers, become an important symbol of the right to civil disobedience.