James Otis, Jr.

James Otis ( born February 5, 1725 in West Barnstable (now Barnstable ), Massachusetts Bay Colony, † May 23 1783 in Andover, Massachusetts) was an American lawyer, politician and freedom fighter.

Life

Otis was a prominent advocate of the rights of North American colonists. Through his writings, he paved the way for the independence of the colonies. In 1765 he played an important role in the Stamp Tax Congress. He is the utterance Taxation without representation is tyranny is attributed. A contemporary source for this but there is no. First write-ups can be found for the first time in 1820, some 40 years after his death.

James Otis was initiated on March 11, 1752 to the Freemasons in Boston in the St. John 's Lodge. He was a prominent member of the Sons of Liberty.

Otis died from lightning. In the staged by Robert Stevenson Walt Disney movie Johnny Tremain (1957 ) from the novel by Esther Forbes, he is played by Jeff York.

Works

• The rights of the British colonies asserted and Proved, 1764
• A vindication of the British colonies, 1765
• A vindication of the conduct of the House of Representatives, 1762