In Colonial Williamsburg, prior to the American Revolution, merchants were asked to sign a pledge not to import British goods as a protest of taxes and the ill-treatment of colonists. The "Liberty Pole" was erected on Duke of Gloucester Street in the Fall of 1774 as a reminder to those who were "refractory" and failed to sign the pledge and support the cause of public resistance against England. The barrel contains tar and the bag has feathers so that any who declined could be tarred and feathered by their neighbors. Luckily, there are no records of that occuring in Williamsburg, although some nearby areas administered "the cure."
That's a great slice of Americana..
ReplyDeleteI once felt that I would get that treatment. I was wearing a New York Giants jersey in the midst of hundreds of Philadelphia Eagles fans. As soon as it got dark, I took the jersey off.
ReplyDelete