D. Finch-Hatton

During the American revolutionary period, one of the most common practices among patriots, activists, and revolutionaries was wearing disguises or covering faces to prevent themselves from being identified. This wasn't because they were cowardly; it was because during moments of heated political action, one must prioritize self-preservation. 1. The Boston Tea Party: Roughly 100-150 activists from the Sons of Liberty—led by Sam Adams, dressed up their faces to look like Mohawk Indians and dump tens of thousands of pounds of tea into the Boston harbor. 2. Stamp Act Protests (1765): In Boston and other ports, Sons of Liberty members blackened their faces with charcoal or wore masks while hanging effigies of tax collectors (e.g., Andrew Oliver) and destroying stamped paper. 3. Boston Non-Importation Agreement Enforcement (1768–1770): Patriots disguised themselves to intimidate merchants violating boycotts of British goods. Nighttime raids often involved face paint or masks to target violators anonymously. 4. The Gaspee Affair: Dozens of Rhode Island patriots disguised themselves as Indians and boarded and burned the British customs Schooner the HMS Gaspee. 5. Boston Massacre Agitators: Some colonists involved in inciting or participating in the events leading to the massacre used simple disguises (hats, coats, or face paint) during nighttime gatherings to avoid recognition by British soldiers and loyalists. 6. Various Tar and Feathering Incidents: Groups like the Sons of Liberty often wore masks, blackened faces, or Indian disguises while tarring and feathering British tax collectors or loyalists (e.g., in multiple colonies throughout the 1760s-1770s) to protect members from arrest. 7. Paul Revere's Midnight Ride Support Network: While Revere himself wasn't disguised, members of the alarm system (including riders and signalers) used civilian disguises or thick face paint to participate in action that would have resulted in civil punishments. 8. Culper Spy Ring Operations: Spies like Abraham Woodhull (Samuel Culper Sr.) and Robert Townsend used false identities and simple disguises (face paint, aliases, or posing as merchants) while operating in British-held New York. 9. Fort Ticonderoga Capture : Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys used surprise and rudimentary disguises/camouflage (frontier hunter attire blending with the environment), and various paints and face coverings during their dawn raid, though it was more about stealth than full costume. 10. Intolerable Acts Resistance: After the Boston Port Bill, disguised groups in Massachusetts and Connecticut conducted raids on British supply lines and officials, often with face paint for quick anonymity. This is a very American thing to do when engaging in extraordinary political tensions.