The Heart of the Freedom Trail in Boston - 60 minute Walking Tour

The Old State House, constructed in 1713, is the oldest public building in Boston. Towering over all of the buildings around it, it was meant to impress. This location was the site of government business starting in 1658 and reflects the history of political change in Boston. The very same balcony from which Royal Governors would proclaim the king’s decrees, would be the place from which the Declaration of Independence was read on July 18, 1776. Both the promise and the disappointment of liberty would play out here. The quest for independence in the 18th century would not include everyone. African Americans and women would remain without a voice. Some in the African American community would join the militia to fight for what they hoped would be their freedom. Women would successfully manage businesses and farms during the long war for Independence but would not be recognized. Abolitionists like Prince Hall and feminists like Abigail Adams would begin the fight.

In 1742, Boston was a bustling town of about 14,000 people with a safe harbor for ships, a busy dock and a large trade industry, exporting goods to Europe and the West Indies. The merchant class in Boston had become quite wealthy. Then, in 1742, Peter Faneuil, himself a wealthy merchant, whose wealth came from the transatlantic slave trade, offered the town a central marketplace similar to those found in the large cities of Europe. The town refused his gift of the marketplace at first, being suspicious of the impact that it might have on their own businesses. The town finally accepted his offer by a slim margin, and Faneuil at the last minute, decided to add a second floor, which provided a much-wanted space for town meeting. Given his connections to slavery and the Anglican church, it was ironic that Faneuil gave a town meeting space that would become a vehicle to radicalize Boston and become a symbol of freedom.

In 1686, Kings Chapel became the first Church of England congregation in Boston. It was established to provide a place for the newly appointed royal Governor to worship. Its presence next to the town’s oldest burying ground soon became a symbol of all that the colonists hated about England. By the beginning of the revolution, it would be the place where Boston’s most charismatic patriot leader, Dr. Joseph Warren, would be eulogized. By the time Dr. Warren reached the age of 34, he had become an accomplished physician who had cared for not only patients who were Patriots, but for Loyalists as well. He was an inspirational politician, an influential organizer, military hero, and president of the provisional government in Boston in 1774 - 1775. In 1774, Warren was chosen as Chairman of the Suffolk Convention that was convened to address the Coercive Acts. Presenting his resolutions to the convention, he referred to Britain’s attempt “to enslave America.”

The Old South Meeting House, built in 1729, was the largest meeting space in Boston. Built to accommodate how the Puritans worshiped and lived, it was ideal for public meetings, including many public protest meetings held there. One of the most famous of those meetings took place on December 16, 1773. The East India Company, one of the largest companies in the world, was supplying the English tea to the colonies. Due to the poor economy in Europe, the company was failing. Failure of such a large company would further hurt the economy in Britain, so Parliament stepped in and bailed them out with the Tea Act of 1773. This act gave East India exclusive access to supply tea to the colonies and bypass the duties it otherwise would have paid. However, when the tea was unloaded, the colonists would still have to pay tax imposed by the Townshend Acts of 1767. This act further antagonized the colonies that had found Britain’s’ disregard for their lack of representation in taxation unbearable.