Join the Historical Society of Watertown to learn more about the important role of alcohol in the culture and politics of Colonial America in this free lecture with Brook Barbier, author of King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father (2023). When John Hancock needed to win people over, he didn’t talk about resisting taxes or policy improvements; instead, he served alcohol. He offered rum punch and wine at his home and paid for lavish meals in taverns to bring people together. Guests included lower-class men, French officers, and Black women and men. By throwing parties, Hancock gained social and political power among myriad groups, repeatedly paying dividends. He was consistently elected to political office and when he smuggled Madeira into Boston, one of the most memorable and violent mobs during colonial resistance defended him.

Brooke Barbier is a public historian who received her Ph.D. in American history from Boston College, researching Boston’s social and cultural life during and after the American Revolution. Barbier owns a popular tour company in Boston, Ye Olde Tavern Tours, that takes guests to revolutionary sites and inside historic taverns to drink beer.

All meetings are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the Historical Society's website or contact Joyce at joycekel@aol.com. 

This Program is funded by a 2024 grant from the Watertown Community Foundation.