Samuel Adams

Founding Father of the United States

Born: September 27, 1722 · Died: October 2, 1803

Famous Persons

Who was Samuel Adams?

Samuel Adams (September 27 [O.S. September 16], 1722 – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, political philosopher, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was a second cousin to his fellow Founding Father, President John Adams. Adams was born in Boston, brought up in a religious and politically active family. A graduate of Harvard College, he was an unsuccessful businessman and tax collector before concentrating on politics. He was a politician in colonial Massachusetts, a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence and other founding documents, and one of the architects of the principles of American republicanism that shaped the political culture of the United States.

Adams as portrayed by Paul Revere, 1774. Yale University Art Gallery.

Historical significance

He was an influential official of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Boston Town Meeting in the 1760s, and he became a part of a movement opposed to the British Parliament's efforts to tax the British American colonies without their consent.

Samuel Adams as he looked in 1795 when he was Governor of Massachusetts. The original portrait was destroyed by fire; this is a mezzotint copy.

Sources and further reading

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Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“Samuel Adams.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/samuel-adams/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

APA

Samuel Adams. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 2, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/samuel-adams/

Chicago

“Samuel Adams.” thisDay. Accessed October 2, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/samuel-adams/.

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