"Sowing the Seeds of Revolution"

This blog that I am creating is focused on early American history and how the power of journalism has created and has had an overwhelming effect on what has become America as we know it today. I will be using the text by Rodger Streitmatter titled Mightier than the Sword: How the News Media have Shaped American History as the basis covering certain key milestones during the period of 1763-1776. The first chapter is called "Sowing the Seeds of the Revolution". This chapter focuses on how certain men in American History help influence the events by way of their journalistic techniques and writings. These men did definitely make the difference with their words. In 1768-1769 Sam Adams, cousin of John Adams published a series of 35 weekly articles in the New York Journal. This was today’s precursor to what we know today as the Associated Press. These articles spread the word to everyone in the colonies of the way Boston Massachusetts was being occupied by British troops; this in turn brought forth what we know today as the Boston Massacre. Another talented man who received great fame as one of the most influential journalists during the Revolutionary period was Thomas Paine. He is most famous for Common Sense. This encouraged that the American colonists should rebel against the British throne. It also said that the colonist deserved more and that  they should deserve much more. In 1776 Thomas Paine joined the Continental Army. At George Washington's request to rally the troops with some positive inspiration Thomas Paine wrote The Crisis. It was published in the Pennsylvania Journal. These publications from the 1760"s and 1770"s help create a revolt against the British and force the colonists to gain an independence of there own. This independence helped form the America as we know it today.