George Hewes

The late 1700’s was a turbulent time in the history of the colonies. Great Britain was increasing its exploitation and unfair treatment towards the colonist by each day by actions such as adding tax after tax on the colonist. Right in the middle of all this conflict was a lowly, Bostonian shoemaker named George Robert Twelves Hewes. The story of this man is told by Albert Young in The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution. This simple shoemaker was present in some of the most historic events that led up to and that were part of the American Revolution. He was present for two of the most well known events of that time. Hewes was on scene at The Boston Massacre and The Boston Tea Party. He was one of the many who threw barrels of tea that now historic night. He was one of the many common men of the time that helped secure the independence of this country. The American Revolution meant much to the future of this country, and it also meant something to Hewes. The meaning of the American Revolution to Hewes was that it gave him a way to escape the uneventful life of a shoemaker, changed his practice of deference, made him feel as though he was an equal to all men, and allowed him to be part of something.
A shoemaker was one of the lowest possible professions to have in Boston during the time of George Hewes. No person dreamed of being a shoemaker, but Hewes was not given much of a choice because his father could not afford a better apprenticeship.   “Shoemaking was never an occupation of his choice, he being more inclined to active pursuits” (Young 20). Young shows us that although shoemaking was Hewes’ profession it was not one he wanted. Even more clues that point to Hewes not wanting to be a shoemaker appear in the text. He disliked his apprenticeship so much that he tried to end it.   “The proof is that Hewes tried to end his apprenticeship by the only way he saw possible: escape to the military” (Young 23). Hewes lacked the size...