How George Robert Twelve Hewes’s personal memory, and experience of revolutionary events shape the 19th Century public memory

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How George Robert Twelve Hewes’s personal memory, and experience of revolutionary events shape the 19th Century public memory of the revolution.

George Robert Twelve Hewes is one of the most vocal voices that took part in the American revolution. His memories and experiences of the events during this part of American history have enhanced public memory of the revolution. Before he became a revolutionary figure, George Robert Twelves Hewes was an ordinary citizen who was a shoemaker who was part of the people who participated in the events leading to the revolution. He was part of the people who participated in the Tea Party and the Boston Massacre demonstrations. He played a vital role in preserving public memory of these events, which in the 1830s would have otherwise forgotten. Events such as the Tea Part later became the defining and shapers of the American events five decades later. Although George Robert Twelves Hewes was a significant figure in the events preceding the revolution, his contributions were not recognized until he was discovered in the nineties. He was recognized as a nationalist in Boston.

There is little information on public memory on the tea party and the people involved in it; George Robert Twelve Hewes played a vital role in preserving public memory of these events. It is not until now clear how many people were involved in the political protests. Most Americans have just been given a general outline of these events, hence George Robert Twelve Hewes’s vital role in keeping public memory. The Boston Tea Party should be given more recognition for its role in the revolutionary era, and public memory can be enhanced by highlighting the experiences of George Robert Twelve Hewes. He was an inspirational figure in the events leading to the revolution, and many other activists in the country who came after him remodeled and cast his experiences into their accounts of the American history.

During the centennial anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, two factions of women groups who George Robert Twelve Hewes experienced had inspired held commemoration celebrations in Boston and New York. This was one way Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experience of revolutionary events shaped the 19th Century public memory of the revolution. Although these two groups were celebrating the achievements of the Boston Tea Party and Robert Twelve Hewes’s experiences, the real motive was to intertwine tea and politics. They intended to use these events to advance the course of women further. At the time, women were fighting for equal rights as men, and they used Robert Twelve Hewes’s experiences as inspiration. Unlike the Boston Tea Protests, where demonstrators threw tea into the harbor, the women did not find it necessary to do so. Instead, they decided to advance their course by celebrating the achievements of men like Robert Twelve Hewes’s who had participated in events leading to the revolution as a way of advancing their agenda. In essence, advocating for universal suffrage for both women and men in the socio-political and economic space by these women was a proclamation that the Tea Party and Robert Twelve Hewes’s principles were similar to theirs. This played a vital role in reminding people of the icon shoemaker turned activist.

Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experiences continue to shape the trajectory of our country today after more than one century and a half later. In 2009 when conservatives felt frustrated by President Obama’s economic stimulus, CNBC’s Rick Santelli accused him of ‘enhancing bad behavior.’ He argued that the president was trying to organize a ‘Chicago Tea Party’ moment, which is associated with the modern American Tea Party. The Tea Party protests did not anchor on a single issue as various protestors packaged them to address their grievances. Although the initial event took place a century and a half ago, learning about the experiences of Robert Twelve Hewes continues to remind people about revolution and its significance to modern America. The ‘modern Tea Party,’ which does not advocate for a single issue but has agendas that amalgamate numerous issues. Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experiences have inspired many people to not accept less from the government and instead push for a better society by holding those in power accountable.

Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experiences continue to remind us of the dreams and aspirations of the nation’s founding fathers. His memory and experiences remind us of the diversity and drive with which many of those who took part in the parties conducted them, aiming to create a better country. The Tea Party is a lasting reminder of American history and the dark American history the country is built on. Robert Twelve Hewes’s memories and experiences allow many people to appreciate the importance of a state based on democracy and meritocracy. For far too long, American history has been one-sided and being told by those who were the tormentors. Robert Twelve Hewes’s memories and experiences can retell it. As a country, we need to learn from our history and ensure that we correct the evils that existed and prevent them from reoccurring in the future.

When discussing how George Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experience of revolutionary events shaped the 19th Century public memory of the revolution, we must discuss his role in establishing a tradition of dissent. The Tea Party protests are credited for creating a citizenry willing to fight evil wherever it was and by all means. Although the protestors did not enjoy the fruits of their demonstrations immediately, Tea Party protests became a reference point for people who wanted to eradicate social evils from society. The Tea Protests particularly inspired the women suffragists and the civil rights activities of the 19TH century to advocate for their beliefs and ideas. The women and civil rights movement activists used the Tea Party as their reference point of public memory in advancing their course. Many of them would quote the Tea Party’s rallying call ‘No taxation without representation’ or calibrated it to serve their purposes. These actions were vital in shaping public memory of the revolution in the 19th century.

The Tea Protests became associated with the fight for freedom during the 19th century. Many people viewed George Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experience of revolutionary events as determined to fight for the freedoms of ordinary people. Many others also considered the protests as acts of patriotism and courage hence became inspired to continue fighting for the ideals and values that people like George Robert Twelve Hewes believed in. His memory and experiences were seen as catalysts for the revolution itself and help inspire people to directly and violently oppose British rule. It was evident after this protest that many people were disgruntled by British rule and were willing to go to the extremes to ensure they were free from the colonialists. The event made the British realize that they would no longer ignore the voices of the oppressed and was a significant event in the entire American Revolution. George Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experience of revolutionary events shaped the 19th Century public memory of the revolution as a defining moment in the push for independence.

George Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experience of revolutionary events shaped the 19th-century public memory of the revolution by wakening the American dream. For many immigrants who had moved into the new world, freedom from state control and the pursuit of economic success was a priority. Many of them had seen the impacts of strong state control in Europe, and the Tea Party offered them a vent to air their grievances. George Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experience of revolutionary events showed them that it was possible for people who were thought to be less important to be elevated to positions of power. This was reflected during the Independence war when ordinary people like shoemakers, tailors, farmers, and fishers fought as soldiers. They believed that ordinary people would change the destiny of a country continued to inspire many people in the 19th century to continue fighting for independence and achieve their dreams. His memory and experiences highlighted the need for true leaders in the struggle for independence. Although he could use his position to attract fame and wealth, he chose another destiny. Hewes chose to be part of the liberators and participated as a soldier and sailor in the independence war. This can be attributed to the famous quote by President John F. Kennedy, ‘ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.’

George Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experience of revolutionary events shaped the 19th Century public memory of the revolution by giving testimony of the course he took. Although Hewes and his comrades did not choose an easy route of negotiating with the colonialists and sharing power, he was determined to uproot the entire system. They had seen how many people had been oppressed, and they were all inspired to take personal steps to change it. Hewes had decided that his position in the lowest rank in society as a shoemaker would not determine his destiny, and he was willing to change it. As a nobody in the city of Boston, he was among the people behind the Tea Party. He was later elected to a position of power that he utilized to push the grievances of the Tea Party members. His memory and experiences became an inspirational story in the 19th century during the push for independence. The protests had proved that people would organize and resist the colonial powers and the independence movements of the 19th century used his memory and experiences to catapult their organizations.

In conclusion, George Robert Twelve Hewes’s memory and experience of revolutionary events shaped the 19th Century public memory of the revolution. As a shoemaker from Boston, Hewes became a towering giant in American history during the 19th century as his experiences and memory became reference points for many others. The Tea Party had metamorphosis in a short period from the resistance of oppressed farmers into a national movement that was advocating for independence during the 19th century. Although Hewes’ role in American history is not well documented and taught, it is evident that his memory and experiences played a part in the American Revolution and other protests that followed.

Work Cited

Campbell, Chrishon. “Review of The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution.” Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History 9.1 (2019): 137-141.

The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution.