The Alternative of Williamsburg
1775
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This anti-American mezzotint, created by Philip Dawe, satirized the widespread use of physical violence in 18th century American colonial society. Printed in London on Februrary 16, 1775, the cartoon depicts a scene in Williamsburg, when Patriots erected a scaffold from which they hung a cask of tar and a barrel of feathers. The Patriots compelled merchants to appear and sign an endorsement of the Articles of Association, agreeing to the embargo – nonimportation, nonexportation, and nonconsumption – against England.
Text adapted from “"The Alternative of Williamsburg": A British Cartoon on Colonial American Violence” in the April/May 1996 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) publication Social Education.
Text adapted from “"The Alternative of Williamsburg": A British Cartoon on Colonial American Violence” in the April/May 1996 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) publication Social Education.
This primary source comes from the Records of Commissions of the Legislative Branch.
National Archives Identifier: 532891
Full Citation: Photograph 148-GW-438; The Alternative of Williamsburg; 1775; The George Washington Bicentennial Commission, 1931 - 1932; Records of Commissions of the Legislative Branch, Record Group 148; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/alternative-williamsburg, September 7, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
