Braintree High School - Wampatuck Yearbook (Braintree, MA)

Page 33 text:

■HE .NO OF i. m ITE NEARLY ALL THE PROPERTY I HAVE IN THE WORLD IS IN HOUSES AND OTHER REAL ESTATE IN THE TOWN OF BOSTON; BUT IF EXPULSION OF THE BRITISH ARMY FROM IT - AND THE LIBERTIES OF OUR COUNTRY - REQUIRE THEIR BEING BURNT TO ASHES, ISSUE THE ORDER FOR THAT PURPOSE IMMEDIATELY.” JOHN HANCOCK BURN BOSTON AND MAKE JOHN HANCOCK A BEGGER, IF THE PUBLIC GOOD REQUIRES IT.” JOHN HANCOCK WE THERE! JOHN BULL CAN READ MY NAME WITHOUT SPECTACLES, AND MAY NOW DOUBLE HIS v. REWARD OF-tsoo FOR MY HEAD. THAT IS MY DEFIANCE.” HMS JOHN HANCOCK fOF 0N5 OF ZED I HAVE FOR TEN YEARS PAST DEVOTED MYSELF TO THE CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC I HAVE LOST MANY THOUSAND STERLING, BUT, THANK GOD, MY COUNTRY IS SAVED AND BY THE SMILE ,OF HEAVEN I AM A FREE AND INDEPENDENT MAN.” JOHN HANCOCK and RE. iAMS 29

Page 32 text:

FROM THE OFFICIAL BIRTH RECORDS OF THE TOWN OF BRAINTREE ”... OUR PEOPLE MUST BE PEACEABLE! LET THEM EXERCISE EVERY DAY IN THE WEEK, IF THE WILL - THE MORE THE BETTER! LET THEM FURNISH THEMSELVES WITH ARTILLERY AND ARMS AND AMMUNITION. LET EM FOLLOW THE MAXIM WHICH YOU SAY THEY HAVE ADOPTED - ” IN TIME OF PEACE PREPARE FOR WAR ' - BUT LET THEM AVOID WAR IF POSSIBLE, IF POSSIBLE I SAY. JOHN ADAMS TO ABIGAIL ADAMS, September , i774 WE NOW EXPECT OUR SEA COAST TO BE RAVAGED. PERHAPS THE VERY NEXT LETTER I WRITE : WILL INFORM YOU THAT I AM DRIVEN AWAY FROM OUR YET QUIET COTTAGE COURAGE I KNOW WE HAVE IN ABUNDANCE; CONDUCT I HOPE WE SHALL NOT WANT; BUT POWDER- WHERE SHALL WE GET A SUFFICIENT SUPPLY. I ABIGAIL ADAMS TO JOHN ADAMS ” THE SECOND DAY OF JULY 1776, WILL BE THE MOST MEMORABLE EPOCK IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA. I AM APT TO BELIEVE THAT IT WILL BE CELEBRATED BY SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS AS THE GREAT ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL. IT OUGHT TO BE COMMEMORATED AS THE DAY OF ' t DELIVERANCE, BY SOLEMN ACTS OF DEVOTION TO GOD ALMIGHTY. IT OUGHT TO BE SOLEMNIZED WITH POMP AND PARADE, WITH SHOWS, GAMES, SPORTS, GUNS, BELLS, BONFIRES, AND ILLUMINATIONS, FROM ONE END OF THIS CONTINENT TO THE OTHER, FROM THIS TIME FOREWARD, FOREVERMORE. JOHN ADAMS TO ABIGAIL ADAMS

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... AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY. ' ' CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THIS GREATEST OF INSTRUMENTS TO PROTECT FREEDOM, WAS PRECEEDED BY THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS WHICH WAS DRAFTED BY JOHN ADAMS IN 1779 IN THE LAW OFFICE IN HIS HOME, WITH SAMUEL ADAMS AND JAMES BOWDOIN. I MUST STUDY POLITICS AND WAR THAT MY SONS MAY HAVE LIBERTY TO STUDY MATHEMATICS AND PHILOSOPHY.... ' ' JOHN ADAMS TO THOSE WHO WORKED AND SACRIFICED FOR IT, FREEDOM MEANT MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE ABSENCE OF SLAVERY. 30