The Night Boston’s Anger Caught Fire

In May 1768, John Hancock’s ship, the Liberty, sailed into Boston Harbor carrying Madeira wine. Within weeks, British customs officials seized the vessel after a customs employee claimed that part of its cargo had been secretly unloaded during the night.In this episode, we explore the disputed testimony, the violent uprising that followed the seizure, John Adams’s defense of Hancock, and how one merchant ship helped bring British troops into Boston.Massachusetts Historical Society—John Adams’s legal papers concerning Hancock and the Liberty National Park Service—John Hancock Boston Public Library—The Liberty AffairColonial Society of Massachusetts—The Letters of Thomas HutchinsonHUB History—The Liberty Riot