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Boston College, The True Harvard Rival

admin — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

From a humble beginning in 1863 on the Irish catholic South End neighborhood, Boston College now serves over ten thousand students. With a sprawling campus in suburban Chestnut Hill covering 381 acres, this historic Jesuit institution is now a research university and widely regarded as the real rival to Harvard University. A member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, Boston College offers bachelors degrees, doctoral degrees, and masters degrees.

Baldwin the Eagle is the mascot to all sports teams at Boston College, which are called the Eagles. Boston College is a leader in recycling and reducing energy consumption. With many examples of beautiful gothic architecture, the campus is about 6 miles west of downtown Boston and borders the city of Newton. The Boston subway stops at the St. Ignatius gate.

With eight research libraries holding over two million printed books, Boston College also has museums holding many priceless historic documents thousands of years old. Also part of Boston College is Newton College about a mile west of Chestnut Hill. Newton College provides plenty of student housing plus the law school. At Dover, Massachussets, Boston College maintains a retreat center that covers 80 acres for student and faculty use.

William Lloyd Garrison – New Englands First Abolitionist

admin — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

William Lloyd Garrison was an instrumental character in the slavery abolition movement during the 1800s. Born in Newburyport, Massachusetts between the 10th and 12th of December, 1805, his exact birth date is unsure. His father abandoned the family while Garrison was still young, and he was raised by his mother. As he was growing up, the political climate of New England Federalism and the religious influence of lively Christian benevolence led him toward the abolition movement.

At the age of 25 he began a career in newspaper editing, working with a number of regional publications with strong abolitionist sentiments. In 1829 Garrison was jailed for a short time over the libel of a local Newburyport merchant who had ties to the coastal slave trade. When he was released in 1830 he made his way to Boston where less than a year later he founded “The Liberator,” an uncompromising anti-slavery publication. Soon after, he helped form the New England Anti-Slavery Society and became an influential voice in the fight to free the slaves.

Garrison was a staunch pacifist, but when the Civil War broke out he had to decide between his non-violent beliefs and his crusade against slavery. He decided that freedom for the slaves was more important, so he became a major supporter of President Lincoln. When the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, Garrison finally saw decades of crusading come to fruition. Can’t get enough? There’s more: Knowledge is the Pathway from Slavery to Freedom

The Story Behind the Great Boston Fire

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The Great Boston Fire of 1872 was the largest fire in the city’s history. The fire began on the evening of November 9 in the basement of a warehouse on Summer Street, and was not contained until 12 hours later.

Before its containment, the fire tore through 65 acres in downtown Boston, including hundreds of buildings. The city’s financial district was totally consumed. Damages were estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, and at least 30 lives were lost in this epic fire.

Many factors contributed to the destructiveness of this conflagration. Numerous buildings were over-insured and not built to be fire-safe; in addition, the city’s building codes were rarely enforced. Roofs were flammable, constructed of wood in many cases. Fire-boxes were inaccessible and the fire department’s response was delayed. The city’s old pipes had low water pressure and the era’s steam engine pumpers were inefficient.

Thousands of Bostonians were homeless and jobless as a direct result of the fire. Insurance companies were bankrupted and businesses failed. A positive outcome was the decision to widen many of the city’s thoroughfares, which modernized the city and created more room for civic improvements; Boston rebuilt itself quickly after this great fire.

How the Kennedy’s Shaped and Influenced 19th Century Boston

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Boston, Massachusetts was greatly influenced by Irish Catholic immigrants during the nineteenth century which included the Kennedy family who were part of the Brahmin Elite. The Irish immigrants who included the ancestors of the well known Kennedy family had suffered during the Irish potato famine which encouraged the family to immigrate to America. Once in America the Kennedy family fought against great prejudice of the Irish while working hard and climbing the social ladder. The Brahmin elite were not only some of the wealthiest people of Boston they also were involved in the community and were held to high personal standards of conduct. During this time censorship of books, plays and movies led to the term, “Banned in Boston”. The city became the center of education with several new schools and universities. Culturally the city became known for famous authors living in the city and the establishment of magazine and book publishers. Economically the city was thriving with fabric manufacturing factories. Joseph Patrick Kennedy began to work in financial institutions during this time which later influenced him to become involved in politics. His role as a ward boss for the Democratic Party influenced his sons to follow him into politics.Can’t get enough? There’s more: A Country Mourns With the Kennedy Family (1963)

Why Boston Was The 17th Century Center of the Revolution

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Boston is on of the oldest cities in the United States. It is not the oldest city in the United States, because a city in Florida has this honor. Many of the events that took place in or near Boston made the city the center of the American revolution. The first of these events was the Boston Massacre in which John Adams would play a role. The Boston Tea Party would let the English know that their colonists were displeased with their rule. The Battle of Bunker Hill would take place near Boston, although it would be a defeat for the American armies.

Boston, as the largest city in Massachusetts, has a colonial history. It also have a large population of patriots rather than a large population of loyalists. Many of the early key events of the Revolution would take place in New England, although events would later move south. The final surrender took place in Virginia, and everyone knows Washington’s troops spent their Winter in Valley Forge before Washington would cross the Delaware. Even though the revolution took place throughout all of the thirteen colonies, the spirit of discontent was highest in New England. New England patriots, not to be confused with th football team, were willing to fight for their country’s freedom.