Historical Figure Profiles – Resource

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Peter Oliver 

• Age: 57 
• Profession: Judge and Manufacturer 
• Colony: Massachusetts 
• Biography: Peter Oliver was a successful Massachusetts judge and wealthy businessman who remained fiercely loyal to the British Crown during the years leading up to the American Revolution. As tensions grew, he condemned the growing resistance to British rule and openly criticized colonial leaders who called for independence. His loyalty to Britain made him a target of Patriot mobs, and he was eventually forced to flee to England, where he spent the rest of his life defending British policies and blaming the Revolution on rebellious colonists. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “Under the parental care of Great Britain, the Colonies grew up to their present greatness, and were the wonder and envy of the European world.”  Origin & Progress of the American Rebellion (1781) 

John Dickinson 

• Age: 38 
• Profession: Lawyer and Politician 
• Colony: Pennsylvania 
• Biography: John Dickinson was a Pennsylvania lawyer and politician who believed in resisting British policies but opposed outright revolution. Known as the “Penman of the Revolution,” he wrote persuasive arguments against taxation without representation, including Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania. However, he also urged caution and compromise, believing the colonies should seek reconciliation with Britain rather than immediate independence. He refused to sign the Declaration of Independence, fearing it was premature, but later served in the new American government, helping to draft the Articles of Confederation. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “Let us take care, lest, while we are striving to secure our liberties, we unwarily lose them.”  Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania (1767-1768) 

Abigail Adams 

• Age: 26 
• Colony: Massachusetts  
• Biography: Abigail Adams was a sharp-witted and politically engaged woman who played a crucial role in shaping early American ideals. As the wife of John Adams, she offered him constant advice and insight through her letters, advocating for independence and the rights of women. She was deeply invested in the Revolutionary cause, managing the family farm while her husband was away and warning him not to overlook the contributions and concerns of women in the new nation. Her intellect and political awareness made her one of the most influential women of the era. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “I have sometimes been ready to think that the passion for Liberty cannot be equally strong in the [hearts] of those who have been accustomed to deprive their fellow Creatures of theirs.” Letter to John Adams, November 27 (1775) 

James Otis 

• Age: 45 
• Profession: Lawyer and Politician 
• Colony: Massachusetts 
• Biography: James Otis was one of the earliest and most vocal critics of British rule. He is best known for his opposition to the Writs of Assistance, arguing that such broad search warrants violated the rights of Englishmen. His speeches and writings helped shape the idea that “taxation without representation is tyranny,” inspiring many future revolutionaries. Though he initially sought to defend colonial rights within the British system, his radical stance and powerful rhetoric made him a key figure in the Patriot movement. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “The very act of taxing exercised over those who are not represented appears to me to be depriving them of one of their most essential rights as freemen.”  The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved (1764) 

Samuel Johnson 

• Age: 60 
• Profession: Writer 
• Colony: None, British 
• Biography: Samuel Johnson was a staunch defender of the British monarchy who strongly opposed American independence. A fierce critic of colonial grievances, he argued that the colonists benefited from British rule and had no right to rebel. He ridiculed their complaints about taxation, pointing out their hypocrisy in demanding liberty while tolerating slavery. His sharp wit and unwavering support for Britain made him one of the most vocal Loyalist intellectuals of his time. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “If slavery be thus fatally contagious, how is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes?”  Taxation No Tyranny (1775) 

Edmund Burke 

• Age: 41 
• Profession: Politician 
• Colony: None, Irish 
• Biography: Edmund Burke became one of the most influential voices in British politics during the 18th century. He supported the colonies’ for resisting certain British policies that violated their rights. He believed that the British government had made mistakes in its handling of the colonies, but he also thought that preserving the unity of the Empire was vital. Burke’s speeches often emphasized support for the traditional rights of Englishmen. While he served in Parliament, he was one of the most important voices supporting the colonies and their complaints in the lead up to the Revolutionary War. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “The Colonists are not the people who are to be considered as the objects of a system of taxation. They are the people from whom the true revenues are to be drawn.”  Speech on American Taxation (1774) 

Thomas Paine 

• Age: 33 
• Profession: Writer 
• Colony: British, later settled in Pennsylvania 
• Biography: Thomas Paine was an influential political writer and thinker whose pamphlet Common Sense (1776) became one of the most important works of the American Revolution. Paine argued passionately for independence from Britain, condemned the monarchy and hereditary rule, and made the case that the colonies should establish their own government. His writing resonated with many colonists, pushing them to embrace the idea of breaking away from British rule and forming a republic. Paine’s straightforward and powerful language played a key role in galvanizing public support for independence. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “Of monarchy, the less said the better. It is an institution, which, if it were not so offensive, would be laughable.”  Common Sense (1776) 

William Franklin 

• Age: 32 
• Profession: Royal Governor 
• Colony: New Jersey 
• Biography: William Franklin was the son of Benjamin Franklin. William remained firmly loyal to the British Crown, serving as the royal governor of New Jersey. His loyalty to Britain led to a strained relationship with his father, especially as tensions between the colonies and Britain escalated. William was an outspoken critic of the Revolution, and, after the war, he was exiled to England, where he continued to defend British policies and his Loyalist stance. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “The colonies are to be considered as a part of the British Empire, and it is their duty to support it.”  The History of the American Revolution (1779, as quoted by others) 

 Crispus Attucks 

• Age: 47 
• Profession: Sailor 
• Colony: Massachusetts 
• Biography: Crispus Attucks was a middle-aged man of Native American and African descent. Like many other free Blacks, he worked as a sailor. On the evening of March 5, 1770, Attucks was a part of a group of Bostonians who threw ice, rocks, and jeers at a small group of British soldiers. In the confusion, the soldiers fired a volley, and Attucks was killed in the Boston Massacre.  
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: Crispus was mainly interested in making enough money and protecting his job so that he could live his life freely. 

Samuel Adams 

• Age: 48 
• Profession: Politician and writer 
• Colony: Massachusetts 
• Biography: During the 1760s, Samuel became a leader of the Patriot resistance to the British attempt to tax the American colonies. With others, he organized the Sons of Liberty. This group protested the new taxes. He published his views in the newspaper for others to read and gain support for his cause. Samuel believed that since the colonies did not have representatives in British government, that they could not be taxed. He said the colonists had the same natural rights as any other British citizen. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom—go from us in peace” Speech in Philadelphia (1776) 

 Thomas Hutchinson 

• Age: 59 
• Profession: Royal Governor 
• Colony: Massachusetts 
• Biography: Thomas Hutchinson was a colonial administrator in Massachusetts and a staunch Loyalist. Serving as the royal governor of Massachusetts, Hutchinson was a vocal supporter of British authority and opposed the growing resistance movements in the colonies. He believed that the colonies should submit to British rule, particularly in matters of taxation and governance. His role in enforcing unpopular British policies, such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, made him a target for Patriot anger. Hutchinson’s home was destroyed by a mob in 1774, forcing him to flee to England, where he continued to defend British colonial policies. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “I may safely affirm …that we have no Reason to Fear any Evils from a Submission to the Authority of Parliament, equal to what we must feel from its Authority being disputed, from an uncertain Rule of Law and Government.” Thomas Hutchinson, The Speeches of his Excellency … (1773) 

  Thayendanegea AKA Joseph Brant 

• Age: 27 
• Profession: Soldier and Diplomat 
• Colony: Mohawk Tribe near New York 
• Biography: Thayendanegea [Tie-end-a-nega-ay] was an important Native American leader in the Iroquois Confederacy as a part of the Mohawk tribe. A British military officer married his sister, and this opened opportunities for English schooling and government connections. He sided with the British, believing they were the best hope for preserving Native American lands and sovereignty against colonial expansion. Thayendanegea worked with his brother in-law in the British army to translate between the British and their allied tribes in the Iroquois Confederacy. Thayendanegea became an important leader in the Mohawk Tribe.  
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “We know that the English are our friends, and if we are to be destroyed, we shall be destroyed by the Americans.” a letter to Sir William Johnson (1775) 

Mercy Otis Warren 

• Age: 42 
• Profession: Writer 
• Colony: Massachusetts 
• Biography: Mercy Otis Warren was born into a wealthy family in the colonial era. Unlike many women, she was able to receive a good education and was encouraged to read books to expand her knowledge. She became friends with many famous Patriots including John and Abigail Adams. Mercy was a gifted writer, and she used her talents and connections to publish essays, pamphlets, and plays. These writings inspired colonists to join the Patriot cause.   
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: Mercy believed British rule was wrong. She called colonists who supported British rule “traitors”. 

 Charles Inglis 

• Age: 36 
• Profession: Church of England Minister 
• Colony: New York and Delaware 
• Biography: Charles Inglis was born in Ireland and journeyed to the colonies in 1755 to spread his religion in a new place. He advanced his career as a minister in America with much success. Charles worked to spread his Christian faith among the Mohawk Tribe of New York and served as headmaster (principal) of a school. As a native of Britain and minister in the Church of England, Charles was used to, and liked, the rule of the King. In fact, the King was like his boss because the King was the head of the Church of England.  The connection of England with the colonies served Charles well.  
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: Charles thought being connected to England brought peace, good trade, and good protection to the people of the colonies, just like it did to his home of Ireland

Robert Morris 

• Age: 36 
• Profession: Merchant 
• Colony: Pennsylvania 
• Biography: Robert Morris was born in England and moved to the colonies as a teenager to join his father and learn the trading business. Robert became very good at his job; he was smart and knew when an opportunity was a good business move. Robert became the wealthiest man in the American colonies because of his profitable trades. He was also a leader in the movement in Philadelphia against British taxes. 
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: Morris loved his home country but did not like the new taxes the British government was putting on goods. It directly affected his profits in the trading business. He also did not want parliament taxing the colonies without their consent.  

Thomas Jefferson  

• Age: 27 
• Profession: Lawyer and Politician 
• Colony: Virginia  
• Biography: Thomas Jefferson was born in the colony of Virginia to a family that valued education. When Thomas was 14 his father died, but he continued to pursue the best education he could by going to college. Thomas began to practice law and was elected to the Virginia state house. Thomas became a famous politician in Virginia, in part due to his Patriot views. He was a writer and argued for natural rights and justice for the American colonies. 
• Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Jefferson_by_Rembrandt_Peale,_1800.jpg 
• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “Our properties within our own territories [should not] be taxed or regulated by any power on earth but our own.”  Rights of British America (1774) 

Benjamin Franklin 

• Age: 64 
• Profession: Politician and Inventor 
• Colony: Pennsylvania 
• Biography: Benjamin Franklin was a well-respected man in the American colonies. He started a successful newspaper called The Pennsylvania Gazette and started many volunteer organizations to help his community. He invented new technologies like the Franklin stove and bi-focal glasses. He also played a major role in building the first fire department, the first public library, and the first hospital in Philadelphia. Benjamin was active in government as well, serving in England as an agent of many American colonies over the years. He stood up for American rights in British government meetings. In 1754, Benjamin presented the Albany Plan at a meeting of royal colony governors. It was the first proposal to bring the 13 colonies together permanently.  
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”  Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor (11 November 1755), attributed to Benjamin Franklin. 

John Adams 

• Age: 35 
• Profession: Lawyer 
• Colony: Massachusetts 
• Biography: John Adams was an American-born lawyer. He lived and practiced law during a time when the British King was trying to gain more control over the colonies. Adams was inspired by lawyer James Otis, who used natural rights as a principle during a court case to protect colonist rights. Adams went on to write a series of essays on the topic. He also took a strong stance against the Stamp Act, which taxed paper goods in the colonies.  
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• Quotes/Opinions/Views: “Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker.”  A Dissertation on the Canon and the Feudal Law No. 3, 30 (September 1765)