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.
This satirical cartoon depicts a diverse crowd of common people pressuring elite Virginians to sign the Continental Association (commonly known as the Articles of Association). The presence of women reflects their centrality—as conspicuous nonconsumers—to the boycott. Some wealthy colonists who profited from the British trade were reluctant to join the Association.
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.
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.
This satirical cartoon depicts a diverse crowd of common people pressuring elite Virginians to sign the Continental Association (commonly known as the Articles of Association). The presence of women reflects their centrality—as conspicuous nonconsumers—to the boycott. Some wealthy colonists who profited from the British trade were reluctant to join the Association.
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, February 9, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.