Before it became a business, Anne Hutchinson lived in this building. She used to hold religious meetings in her home, where she would read scripture. Sometimes as many as 80 people would come to the meetings. This was more than 10% of Boston's population at the time. Eventually Hutchinson was accused of heresy for preaching without being a preacher. (At that time, no women were allowed to be preachers, and Hutchinson's ideas also disagreed with the Puritans'.) Hutchinson was excommunicated and exiled to Rhode Island in 1638.
In the 1800s, the Old Corner Bookstore was one of the United States' most important book publishing companies. It published books written by many famous authors, who would also meet at the Bookstore. These authors included:
The Old South Meeting House was built in 1729 so that Puritans could meet there to pray. Benjamin Franklin was baptized here. The church's famous members included:
Some of the events that led up to the American Revolutionary War happened at Old South Church. For example, five thousand people met at Old South Meeting House just before the Boston Tea Party in 1773. They were trying to decide what to do with the tea that was waiting on ships in Boston Harbor. After the British passed the Tea Act, Bostonians would have to pay taxes on the tea even though they had no say in whether the taxes were fair or not. They tried to have the tea sent back to England, but they were unable to. After this, Samuel Adams got up and said, "This meeting can do nothing more to save the country." This was a secret signal to tell the Sons of Liberty to go destroy the tea. This is how the Boston Tea Party started.
Several years later, when British soldiers were occupying Boston, they got revenge on Old South Church for its role in the Boston Tea Party. They ripped out the church's pews (benches) and turned the church into a horse stable. They used Old South Church to teach British cavalry soldiers how to ride horses. After the Revolutionary War was over, in 1783, the church's members fixed the building up into a church again.
The Irish Potato Famine memorial statue is on the way to the Old South Meeting House. During the Irish Potato Famine, over one million Irish people died. Another million Irish people immigrated to the United States, mostly to Boston. The statue shows a family that was dying of starvation, who became strong and healthy again after moving to Boston.
The Old State House was built in 1713. The Massachusetts Bay Colony's colonial government worked there. The Old State House was very important in starting the American Revolution. In 1768, the colony's House of Representatives decided that people in Massachusetts should refuse to pay taxes to the British. The British decided to get rid of the colony's legislature, and also sent soldiers to occupy Boston.
In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read to the people of Boston for the first time from the balcony of the Old State House.
The Boston Massacre happened just in front of the Old State House, in 1770. After British soldiers occupied Boston, many people in Boston got angrier and angrier. On March 5, 1770, an angry mob of Bostonians surrounded British soldiers. Somebody yelled "fire," and the British soldiers started shooting their guns. Five Bostonians were killed.
After news about the Boston Massacre spread throughout the Thirteen Colonies, people became angrier at the British. The Boston Massacre made more people want to fight the British for independence.
A rich merchant named Peter Faneuil built Faneuil Hall in 1741. He meant Faneuil Hall to be a place for trade and business. However, it became an important meeting place for people who wanted to fight against British rule. The Sons of Liberty met there and announced that they would fight back against the British. Leaders like Samuel Adams gave speeches there encouraging independence.
America's first town meeting was held at Faneuil Hall. Americans first met there in 1764 to protest the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act. Later, they would meet there to protest the Tea Act, the Townshend Duties, and the British occupation of Boston.
On top of Faneuil Hall, there is a famous weathervane (which tells which way the wind is blowing). It is shaped like a golden grasshopper. Legend says that Bostonians used this weathervane during the War of 1812 to find spies. If a person did not know the answer to the question "What is on top of Faneuil Hall?", they were suspected of being a spy.
In the 19th century, abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Lucy Stone spoke against slavery at Faneuil Hall.
The Paul Revere house is the oldest building in downtown Boston that is still standing. It was built around 1680. Revere bought it in 1770. He lived here when he made his famous "Midnight Ride".
The Old North Church is the oldest church in Boston that is still standing. This Episcopal church opened in 1723. The first bells ever brought to America were put in its steeple.
Because the steeple was the tallest in Boston at the time, it played an important role just before the American Revolution started. Just before the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the Revolution, the British had two choices for how they could get to Lexington and Concord. They could walk, or they could row across the Charles River. The Sons of Liberty hung two lanterns in the church's steeple to signal that British soldiers were crossing the Charles River. This helped the Americans figure out the best way to defend against the British.
Copp's Hill Burying Ground was the largest cemetery in colonial Boston. It was created in 1659. Famous people who are buried here include:
British soldiers put their cannons at Copp's Hill Burying Ground during the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The Bunker Hill Monument honors the Battle of Bunker Hill. This was the first major battle of the American Revolution. Though the British won this battle, it was so difficult for them to win that the battle proved the Americans would not be easy to beat.
Until May 2015, the USS "Constitution" was the oldest warship in the world that still floated. It was first put into the water in 1797. The "Constitution" became famous during the War of 1812. The ship got the nickname "Old Ironsides" because cannonballs would bounce off the wooden sides of the ship like they were made of iron.
The "Constitution" is still a United States Navy warship.
Pat Conroy
Pat Conroy (October 26, 1945 – March 4, 2016) was an American author. He has written several famous novels and memoirs. Two of his novels, "The Prince of Tides" and "The Great Santini", were made into movies that were nominated for Academy Awards. He was known as a leading writer of late-20th century Southern literature.
Conroy died on March 4, 2016 from pancreatic cancer in Beaufort, South Carolina. He was aged 70.
Ali Brownlee
Alastair "Ali" Brownlee (1959 – 14 February 2016) was a English radio broadcaster. He was born in Middlesbrough, North Riding of Yorkshire. He was best known for his coverage of Middlesbrough Football Club on BBC Tees from 1982 onwards. His connection to the club earned him the honorific "Voice of the Boro".
Brownlee was a bank manager before becoming a sports commentator.
Brownlee died on 14 February 2016 at a hospital in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire. He had suffered from bowel cancer for three months. He was aged 56.
Fighton Simukonda
Fighton Simukonda (2 February 1958 – 15 February 2016) was a Zambian football player and coach. He was part of the Nkana Red Devils team during the 1980s. He won five league titles. He was also captain of Zambia's national team. As a coach, he has won several Zambian Premier League titles. He became the first coach to lead a Zambian club to the group phase of the CAF Champions' League.
Simukonda died on 15 February 2016 from complications of diabetes. He was aged 58.
Slobodan Santrač