 The Green Dragon Tavern, a rendezvous point for the Boston Caucus in the 1770s | |
| Predecessor | Lewis Hotchin [1] |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1719 |
| Dissolved | 1776 |
| Type | Political club |
| Headquarters | Boston |
Official language | English |
The Boston Caucus was an informal political organization that had considerable influence in Boston in the years before and after the American Revolution. This was perhaps the first use of the word caucus to mean a meeting of members of a movement or political party to agree on a common position.[a][8]
The Boston Caucus was established in around 1719 by the popular physician and merchant Elisha Cooke, Jr. It quickly grew as a powerful political force in the area but its later activities are what associate it most with Samuel Adams and the run up to American Independence. Adams became an influential leader of the caucus in the 1750s and used the club in the 1760s and 1770s to help gain him political leeway. The group developed a nefarious, rebellious reputation, meeting in taverns, and plotting. The Boston Caucus and Samuel Adams were reputed to have had significant influence in 1773 with the events associated with the Boston Tea Party.
- ^ Walmsley 2000, p. 22.
- ^ Sanborn & Cox 1875, p. 286.
- ^ Lamb 1886, p. 595.
- ^ Dallinger 1974, p. 8.
- ^ Stowell 1820, p. 360.
- ^ Smith, Thackeray & Strachey 1887, p. 625.
- ^ Bell 2008b.
- ^ Bell 2008a.
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