Massachusetts Spy
Title
Massachusetts Spy
Description
The Massachusetts Spy, originally the Worcester Spy, was a newspaper published by Isaiah Thomas in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts in the 18th century. It was a heavily political weekly paper that was constantly on the verge of being suppressed by the Royalist government, from the time of its establishment in 1770 to 1776, during the runup to the American Revolution. In 1771-1773 the Spy featured the essays of several anonymous political commentators who called themselves "Centinel," "Mucius Scaevola" and "Leonidas." They spoke in the same terms about similar issues, kept Patriot polemics on the front page, and supported each other against attacks in progovernment papers. Rhetorical combat was a Patriot tactic that explained the issues of the day and fostered cohesiveness without advocating outright rebellion. The columnists spoke to the colonists as an independent people tied to Britain only by voluntary legal compact.
Creator
Isaiah Thomas and Paul Revere
Date
July 7, 1774
Source
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Masthead_and_part_of_front_page_of_The_Massachusetts_spy%2C_or%2C_Thomas%27s_Boston_journal_showing_a_female_figure_of_Liberty_in_upper_left_and_rattlesnake_labeled_%22Join_or_Die%22_symbolizing_the_LCCN2002712180.jpg/1024px-thumbnail.jpg
Thomas, Isaiah. “The Massachusetts Spy, May 3, 1775” (1975). Teach US History. Print. Newspaper Article. Accessed on 29, Jun 2020 at < http://www.teachushistory.org/node/333>
Thomas, Isaiah. “The Massachusetts Spy, May 3, 1775” (1975). Teach US History. Print. Newspaper Article. Accessed on 29, Jun 2020 at < http://www.teachushistory.org/node/333>
Relation
Wikipedia
“The Massachusetts Spy or, American Oracle of Liberty, Worcester, Massachusetts.” Library of Congress. (July 2010). Print. Accessed on 29 Jun, 2020 at https://www.loc.gov/rr/news/circulars/spy.html.
Library of Congress (LOC)Rights
Library of Congress
Publisher
Library of Congress
Contributor
Library of Congress
Format
Photograph
Language
English
Type
Newspaper
Identifier
Massachusetts Spy, Massachusetts, Newspaper, American Revolution, Media
Coverage
United States
Files
Collection
Reference
Isaiah Thomas and Paul Revere, Massachusetts Spy, Library of Congress, July 7, 1774
Cite As
Isaiah Thomas and Paul Revere, “Massachusetts Spy,” Virtual Museum of Public Service, accessed March 28, 2024, https://vmps.omeka.net/items/show/686.