In colonial Massachusetts, as in many other American colonies in the 1760s and 1770s, taverns played a critical role in the development of popular resistance to British rule. However, the Puritan culture of New England created some resistance to these taverns, also known as public houses or pubs. There were strong efforts by reformers to regulate or close the taverns. They believed that it would reduce the problems caused by public drunkness and prevent anarchy. But as the commercial life of the colonies expanded, and as increasing numbers of people began living in towns and cities, taverns became a central institution in American social life, and eventually in its political life as well.1
Taverns were appealing to much of the public because they provided alcoholic drinks. The culture craved for alcohol, to the extent of complete drunkness, and it embraced these institutions. However, taverns had other attractions as well. In early colonies, there were few places where people could meet and talk openly in public. For many colonists, tavern culture began to seem like the most democratic experience available.2 Gradually, they saw the attacks on the taverns as efforts to increase the power of existing elites and suppress the freedom of ordinary people. Just as in politics, taverns were seen as institutions of mostly male concern. Through time, the fusion of male camaraderie and political discourse gave birth to the strong tavern culture.3
As the revolutionary crisis deepened, taverns and pubs became central meeting places for discussions of the ideas that fueled resistance to British policies. Educated and uneducated men joined in animated discussions of events together. Those who could not read could learn about the contents of revolutionary pamphlets from listening to tavern discussions. They could join the discussions of the new republican ideas that emerged in the Americas by participating in tavern celebrations.4 The tavern culture inspired elaborate toasts in public houses throughout the colonies. Such toasts were the equivalents of political speeches, and illiterate men could learn much from them about the political concepts that were circulating through the colonies.5
Taverns were important outlets for gathering information in an age before the wide distribution of newspapers. Tavern keepers were often trusted informants and confidants to the Sons of Liberty and other activists, and they were fountains of information about the political and social turmoil of the time.6 Taverns were also the setting for political events, and served as a public court. In 1770, for example, a report circulated through the taverns of Danvers, Massachusetts, about a local man who was continuing to sell tea despite the colonial boycott. The Sons of Liberty brought the seller to the Bell Tavern and persuaded him to sign a confession and apology before a crowd.7
Almost all politicians found it necessary to visit taverns in colonial Massachusetts if they wanted any real contact with the public. Samuel Adams spent considerable time in the public houses of Boston, where he sought to encourage resistance to British Rule. His cousin John Adams recognized taverns’ political value as well. In taverns, he once said, “bastards and legislators are frequently begotten.”8
Taverns were very important social institutions in the colonies. They started as an entertainment location where people could come together and socialize. However, through time taverns transformed into something much more powerful. They were at the core of the political life that started the strong camaraderie between colonists, which was formed in these taverns and eventually led to the expression of public, heated political speeches.
- Mark Lender, “In Public Houses: Drink and the Revolution of Authority in Colonial Massachusetts,” Journal of Social History 31, no. 1 (1997): 202. ↵
- Stephen Donlon, “The colonial tavern” (M.A. Thesis., St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX, 1946), 13. ↵
- Baylen Linnekin, “Tavern talk and the origins of the assembly clause,”Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly 39, no. 3 (2012): 593. ↵
- Mark Lender, “In Public Houses: Drink and the Revolution of Authority in Colonial Massachusetts,” Journal of Social History 31, no. 1 (1997): 202. ↵
- Alan Brinkley, American History: Connecting with the Past Volume 2 since 1865 (New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2011), 186. ↵
- Alan Brinkley, American History: Connecting with the Past Volume 2 since 1865 (New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2011), 186. ↵
- Mark Lender, “In Public Houses: Drink and the Revolution of Authority in Colonial Massachusetts,” Journal of Social History 31, no. 1 (1997): 202. ↵
- Alan Brinkley, American History: Connecting with the Past Volume 2 since 1865 (New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2011), 186. ↵
33 comments
Nahim Rancharan
Great Article! It was interesting to see the development of businesses such as taverns and how they adapt to meet the unprovided needs of the public during that time. At first I thought that taverns were just places where people would go to talk and consume Alcohol without criticism, but after reading this article, I found out that it had developed as a social institution where people from many different backgrounds (rich or poor, literate and illiterate) could come together and discuss social and political issues that plagued their society. Additionally, it gives a new view of bartenders as being more of trusted companions/informants to spread political ideas and promote a sense of unity among patrons. This was a very informative article on the history of taverns. Good Job!
Sam Vandenbrink
The article was an appropriate length for the topic, it was not a dull article and kept me interested the entire time. It was funny how back so long ago the taverns would supply alcohol and the people were very fond of it just like in todays society. I also didn’t think of how the taverns would be an area for news to spread due to the lack of electronics in this era. Great article!
Alyssa Valdez
I thought this article was very interesting and humorous. Whenever I think of taverns I imagine just a bunch of drunk people just continuing to drink and mess around until they pass out. I don’t imagine it as a place to have important discussions. Reading this article has made me look at places like Taverns with a different perspective. If only bars were like this now haha! Great Read, thanks for the Article!
Justin Sassman
this is a very interesting article because now you just think of places like taverns to be full of nothing but drunken people who could care less about politics, pretty sure you wouldn’t find a politician caught dead in a bar to gain supporters now a days. surprising how a tavern could change like that so fast, its an interesting article and how the America of the past is different for ours now.
Lianna Ybarra
What started out as a drinking place that caused public drunkenness ended up being a place of meeting and delivering news about politics and whats going on. I think it’s really cool how both literate and illiterate benefited from these taverns and came together. If it weren’t for taverns these people would have never interacted with each other. In my opinion, these taverns were an essential part of the time that helped out the colony in ways that people wouldn’t have originally thought of. Overall this was a great article! It was well written and was very explanatory and interesting! Great job!
Jennifer Pogue
Awesome article! I really enjoy your writing style and the flow throughout the article. I usually do not a think of taverns, but when I do I consider them a “social” gathering and not a place for important conversation. It is fascinating to learn how taverns were a gathering spot for men to have a drink and discuss things that mattered.
Gabriela Medrano
Fun facts within the article made it so interesting! I had not realized taverns and politics had such a strong interaction and influence on the public. However, I feel that this has its pros and cons. For example the public who were illiterate had a way of being involved simply through tavern talk but on the other hand because it was tavern talk there is not much credibly in the words pouring out of the men. Good topic and a good read, well done!
Teresa Valdez
I find it interesting that taverns were used not only to get drunk but also as a apart of the democratic system. By reading this article, I got a sense of how crucial the taverns were to communication among people. The article did a good job expressing the progression of the tavern from a social institution to a powerful political forum. I think it was cool that both literate and illiterate men came together so that everyone could hear news and participate in discussions.
Irene Astran
I really enjoyed reading this article. It was very informative. I admire that the men of this time were able to utilize the tavern as a place to spread knowledge and more specifically to ignite political awareness. I also think it was funny that the facility originated out of the desire to keep the intoxicated people from swarming the streets.
Johnanthony Hernandez
It’s amazing to think that a place that started as a source of entertainment and relaxation could turn into a hub of social discussion. This just further emphasized the need for taverns across late 18th-century America not just for the educated men to discuss rising issues and a place for uneducated men to stay informed about the society they live in. Great article that got straight to the point.