Boston Bread Riot
Encyclopedia
The Boston Bread Riot was the last of a series of three riots by the poor of Boston, Massachusetts
, between 1710 and 1713, in response to food shortages and high bread prices. The riot ended with minimal casualties.
(1702–1713) interfered with foreign trade. By 1709, Boston was experiencing a serious food shortage and skyrocketing bread prices.
The hardest hit were the working poor
. Since they did not own land, and were therefore not allowed to vote, governmental indifference to their needs left violence as the only effective recourse. A percentage of the poor began an uprising against the government.
In April 1710, a group of men broke the rudder
of a cargo ship belonging to merchant Andrew Belcher
, to stop its cargo of wheat from being shipped away and sold abroad. The next day, about 50 men attempted to force the ship's captain ashore, intending to loot the ship of its grain. They were arrested, but popular support for their cause resulted in them being released without charges.
In October 1711, a fire in Boston left over 100 families homeless, leading to a second riot.
In May 1713, a mob of more than 200 rioted on Boston Common
, protesting high bread prices. As well as attacking Belcher's ships, the mob "broke into his warehouses looking for corn, and shot the lieutenant governor when he tried to interfere."
and into the early 19th century.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, between 1710 and 1713, in response to food shortages and high bread prices. The riot ended with minimal casualties.
Riot
In the early 18th century, the city of Boston had very little arable land, and most grain had to be imported from surrounding areas or from abroad. It was common practice for the larger local grain merchants to hoard grain to drive up local prices, and to sell local grain in more lucrative foreign markets such as Europe or the sugar plantations of the West Indies. On top of this, Queen Anne's WarQueen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War , as the North American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession was known in the British colonies, was the second in a series of French and Indian Wars fought between France and England, later Great Britain, in North America for control of the continent. The War of the...
(1702–1713) interfered with foreign trade. By 1709, Boston was experiencing a serious food shortage and skyrocketing bread prices.
The hardest hit were the working poor
Working poor
- Definition in the United States :There are several popular definitions of "working poor" in the United States. According to the US Department of Labor, the working poor "are persons who spent at least 27 weeks [in the past year] in the labor force , but whose incomes fell below the official...
. Since they did not own land, and were therefore not allowed to vote, governmental indifference to their needs left violence as the only effective recourse. A percentage of the poor began an uprising against the government.
In April 1710, a group of men broke the rudder
Rudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
of a cargo ship belonging to merchant Andrew Belcher
Andrew Belcher
Andrew Belcher was an early colonial Bostonian who served on the Massachusetts Council from 1765 to 1767. Andrew married Elizabeth Teale and lived in Milton, Massachusetts. His father, Jonathan Belcher was a colonial governor of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Jersey...
, to stop its cargo of wheat from being shipped away and sold abroad. The next day, about 50 men attempted to force the ship's captain ashore, intending to loot the ship of its grain. They were arrested, but popular support for their cause resulted in them being released without charges.
In October 1711, a fire in Boston left over 100 families homeless, leading to a second riot.
In May 1713, a mob of more than 200 rioted on Boston Common
Boston Common
Boston Common is a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Boston Commons". Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States. The Boston Common consists of of land bounded by Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street,...
, protesting high bread prices. As well as attacking Belcher's ships, the mob "broke into his warehouses looking for corn, and shot the lieutenant governor when he tried to interfere."
Results
After the Boston Bread Riot, acts were passed prohibiting exports of grain in time of shortage, fixing grain and bread prices at more reasonable levels, and establishing a public granary. These measures somewhat alleviated the immediate shortage, however, food shortages and the attendant rioting and looting recurred in Boston throughout the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and into the early 19th century.