Samuel Adams

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

American Revolution: Committees of Correspondence

Consider the import of America's founders George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abigail Adams

For Students

Samuel Adams summary

Read Next

Close up of a hand placing a ballot in a ballot box. Election vote voter voting

Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term?

What State Is Washington, D.C. In?

The United States Supreme Court building, Washington, D.C.

14 Questions About Government in the United States Answered

Bar graph of the United States Death Toll during major events. Infogram chart.

U.S. Death Toll During Major Events

The Battle of New Orleans, by E. Percy Moran, c. 1910. Andrew Jackson, War of 1812.

26 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History

Discover

VAN, TURKEY - OCTOBER 25: A building and car ruined during the earthquake of Van-Ercis on October 25, 2011 in Van, Turkey. It is 604 killed and 4152 injured in Van-Ercis Earthquake.

What Is an Aftershock?

The Sun Was Eaten: 6 Ways Cultures Have Explained Eclipses

Mona Lisa, oil on wood panel by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1503-06; in the Louvre, Paris, France. 77 x 53 cm.

Why Is the Mona Lisa So Famous?

Albert Einstein in Washington, D.C. c. 1921-1923. Physicist

The Solar Eclipse That Made Albert Einstein a Science Celebrity

How Is Coffee Decaffeinated?

Pluto. The Changing Faces of Pluto. Most detailed view to date of the entire surface of the dwarf planet Pluto, as constructed from multiple NASA Hubble Space Telescope photographs taken from 2002 to 2003.

10 Important Dates in Pluto History

Aphrodite. Greek mythology. Sculpture. Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty.

12 Greek Gods and Goddesses

History & Society

Samuel Adams

American politician

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Samuel Adams

See all media

Category: History & Society

Born:: September 27 [September 16, Old Style], 1722, Boston, Massachusetts [U.S.]

Died:: October 2, 1803, Boston (aged 81)

Title / Office:: governor (1794-1797), Massachusetts; Continental Congress (1774-1781), United States

Role In:: American Revolution

See all related content →

Samuel Adams (born September 27 [September 16, Old Style], 1722, Boston, Massachusetts [U.S.]—died October 2, 1803, Boston) was a politician of the American Revolution, leader of the Massachusetts “radicals,” who was a delegate to the Continental Congress (1774–81) and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was later lieutenant governor (1789–93) and governor (1794–97) of Massachusetts. A second cousin of John Adams, second president of the United States, Samuel Adams was graduated from Harvard College in 1740 and briefly studied law; he failed in several business ventures. As a tax collector in Boston, he neglected to collect the public ...(100 of 1048 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.