Since 1742 Faneuil Hall has stood as one of the most visited and iconic sites here in Boston.
With a marketplace on the first floor and the historic Great Hall here on the second,
the use of Faneuil Hall over the past two and a half centuries reflects the growth and evolution
of the nation. It has hosted debates, meetings, rallies, and celebrations of
the Founding Fathers, abolitionists, women suffragists, and modern day activists.
Though it bears the name "The Cradle of Liberty," Faneuil Hall is named for Peter Faneuil,
a Boston merchant who constructed and donated this building to the city. Like many colonial
merchants, Peter Faneuil amassed his wealth through the trade in the transatlantic world. The
triangular trade and transatlantic slave trade were crucial components of Faneuil's financial
empire. Faneuil not only owned enslaved people, but also traded enslaved Africans and profited
from the sale of goods produced by enslaved labor. While Faneuil cannot be characterized
as a major slave trader his complicity and participation in these trade systems offers
a window of understanding into the use of the Atlantic world by Boston's 18th century merchants.
We invite you to explore the complicated legacy of Peter Faneuil, his gift to Boston and its place in
our city today through the following information compiled by the National Parks of Boston.