Committee of safety (American Revolution) facts for kids

During the American Revolution, there were special groups called committees of correspondence, committees of inspection (also known as committees of observation), and committees of safety. These were local groups of Patriots. They acted like a secret government, slowly taking power in the Thirteen Colonies. This made it harder for the British royal officials to control things.

In Massachusetts, as problems grew, towns often set up three types of committees. The first, committees of correspondence, kept people informed about new laws or dangers. The second, committees of inspection, watched for people breaking rules about not buying British goods. They also looked for loyalists (people who supported the British) trying to get around these rules. The third, committees of safety, acted as the main leaders when the regular government wasn't working. By February 1776, these groups were made official by the Massachusetts General Court. They were combined into one group called the "Committee of Correspondence, Inspection, and Safety." Towns elected members to this committee every year.

Committees of Correspondence: Staying Connected

Committees of correspondence were like early communication networks. They first appeared in England in the 1600s. In 1763, after the French and Indian War, the British government tried to make the American colonies follow trade laws more strictly. Colonial leaders told merchants to meet and form committees. These groups would write to their local governments and to each other. This helped them work together and share ideas. This happened in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York between 1763 and 1764.

On November 21, 1772, a town meeting in Faneuil Hall, Boston, created a committee of correspondence with 21 members. Their job was to talk with other towns in Massachusetts. They wanted to share information about how the British were taking away people's rights. This Boston committee became very powerful. It was like the real government for Boston and much of the area until late 1774.

This committee helped plan the Boston Tea Party. During this event, tea was thrown into Boston Harbor. The Tea Act of 1773 made other colonies angry. Soon, many more colonies formed their own committees. Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey all set up legislative committees of correspondence. Many towns in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York City also joined.

After the British passed the Boston Port Bill, the Boston committee invited committees from eight other towns to meet. They sent messages to other colonies. They suggested stopping trade with Great Britain. The legislative committee also sent copies of the Port Bill to other colonies. They warned that it was an attempt to stop American freedom. Soon, almost every town, city, or county had a committee. In the middle and southern colonies, these committees could choose representatives. These representatives would meet with others to decide what was best for everyone.

Committees of Inspection: Watching and Enforcing

Committees of inspection were also called committees of observation. The First Continental Congress decided that these committees should be formed in every county, city, and town. Their job was to make sure everyone followed the Continental Association. This was an agreement to boycott (stop buying) British goods. Hundreds of these committees were created after October 1774. For example, in New York City, it was called the Committee of Observation or Committee of Sixty.

At first, these committees mainly focused on stopping people from importing British goods. But as the Revolution continued, they gained more power. They filled the gap left by the old colonial governments. These committees started to collect taxes and recruit soldiers. Historians say that these committees felt their power came from the Continental Congress. They did not think their power came from the local governments.

Committees of Safety: Taking Charge

Committees of safety were formed later than the other committees. They were like executive groups that governed when the regular local governments were not meeting. They got their power from the provincial assemblies or congresses, like the New York Provincial Congress. These committees were emergency groups of important citizens. They made laws, set rules, and handled important business. This happened before the Declaration of Independence in July 1776.

As they took power, they usually tried to follow fair rules. They would warn people who disagreed with them. They would try to make people apologize if they spread rumors. They tried to avoid violence. Many people who served on these committees later became delegates to the Continental Congress.

Why These Committees Were Important

These local committees were very important for America to gain independence. They were the first step in creating a system that could control the Revolution. They also helped connect different communities. This network of committees helped people feel like they were part of something bigger. They felt like they were part of "a country of the mind" – a shared idea of America.

These committees were places where people showed their loyalty. Sometimes, people who disagreed with the Patriots faced consequences. Serving on these committees was not easy. Members had to identify people who did not support the American cause. These were often people they knew well in their communities. The committees tried to avoid physical violence. But they decided what was fair and what punishments were right. By mid-1775, they often identified and criticized political opponents. They would ask for "civil excommunication," which meant people would be shunned by their community. This helped silence critics without causing a lot of violence.

The growth of these committees in the 1770s also created a new kind of politics in America. Ordinary people started to get more involved. They no longer trusted only wealthy and educated people to represent them. Different groups, like artisans (skilled workers), religious groups, and ethnic groups, felt their interests were unique. They believed only people like them could speak for them. For example, in 1774, some people in Philadelphia asked for artisans and Germans to be added to the city's revolutionary committee.

This new way of doing politics worried both British officials and some more traditional Patriots. For instance, William Henry Drayton, an important South Carolina planter, was concerned. He complained about cobblers (shoemakers) and butchers being involved. He said that "Nature never intended that such men should be profound politicians." In 1775, the British governor of Georgia was surprised. He noted that the committee in control of Savannah was made up of "a Parcel of the Lowest People, chiefly carpenters, shoemakers, Blacksmiths etc with a Jew at their head."

Not many records of the committees of safety still exist today. We mostly know about their activities from old newspapers and published materials.

By 1775, these committees had become like new governments. They slowly replaced British rule and took control of local areas. They managed the economy, politics, community rules, and local militias. In North Carolina in December 1776, they came under the control of a stronger central group called the Council of Safety.

Eighteen years later, during the French Revolution, France had its own Committee of Public Safety. The French revolutionaries knew about the American struggle. For them, the American Revolution was a very important example of a new republic being formed.