James Otis, Jr: Firebrand of the Revolution
Few today know James Otis, Jr. – born Feb 5, 1725 – whose 5 hour oration against the Writs of Assistance in 1761 sparked the flames of liberty, “American Independence was then & there born.” Learn some of the highlights of his most important works: In...
The Real Revolution: James Otis vs the Writs of Assistance
The revolution started years before the war commenced – a change in the views and sentiments of the people. And we can trace the beginning of the controversy between Great Britain and America to James Otis Jr, and his arguments against the Writs of Assistance in...
The Struggle for American Independence: The Writs of Assistance
In this episode, I cover the Writs of the Assistance, one of the first points of dispute between colonial sentiment and the British authorities – at least in Boston. In doing so, I revisit James Otis’ fierce resistance toward the writs in 1761, paving the way...