Boston+Tea+Party

Boston Tea Party WHO:
 * The colonists
 * British Soldiers
 * King GeorgeIII
 * Sons of Liberty
 * John Hancock
 * Samuel Adams

**__Boston__** **__Tea Party__**

British Parliament passed a Tea Act in 1773 which gave Britain’s East India Company a monopoly on the importation of tea to America. A monopoly is complete control of a good or service in an area. Because of the monopoly, only Britain could legally sell tea to the colonies. The colonies began not to buy, or boycott tea. Ships carrying thousands of pounds of tea came into the harbor in 1773. Because the Massachusetts governor was on Britain’s side, he let them dock in the Boston harbor. More than one thousand colonists protested against this. [|Samuel Adams] and [|John Hancock], along with one hundred and forty-eight other members of the Sons of Liberty met in a court room to discuss what they were going to do later that night. John Hancock and Samuel Adams grouped the members of the Sons of Liberty into three groups to board the three ships containing the tea. They discussed how they would dress up like Mohawk Indians and march into the harbor in rows of two, and how they would board the three ships, throw all the tea into the harbor… Later that night, they did just that. Some colonists even had hatchets, clubs and painted theirs faces and hands with coal dust to look like [|Mohawk Indians]. The three ships boarded by the [|Sons of Liberty] were surrounded by British armed ships. Britain did not risk damaging or sinking their own ships, so they did not shoot at them. Colonists sat and watched on the harbor and dock during the Boston Tea Party. Colonists and the Mohawk Indians sang a chant, “Rally Mohawks! Bring your axes and tell King George III, we’ll pay no taxes!” The next morning, there was still some tea floating about in the harbor. The Bostonians went out on boats and used their ores to beat down the tea, so Britain could not use the tea. Later on, King George III punished the colonists by not allowing them to make any new laws and blockaded their harbor. These were later called “The Coercive Acts”, also known as “The Intolerable Acts”, because they were punished or coerced. This law among other things closed the Boston Harbor. The Boston Tea Party was basically about the colonists showing Britain how they felt about paying their taxes. The tea that the colonists threw into the harbor equaled about two to three million dollars. Because of the Boston Tea Party, the colonists revolted against Britain. The colonists said that they did that to protest the British scheme. It, also, showed how the colonists felt about “no taxation without representation”. The reason why Britain put the tax on them in the first place was because the British needed to pay their soldiers for fighting in the French and Indian War and Britain needed control over the colonies government. One way for Britain to keep control over America was by lowering the tea tax. This gave Britain some money. If the colonists began to pay Britain’s taxes, then Britain would think Americans would continue to pay taxes to Britain. The colonies were becoming more independent while Britain was distracted by the French and Indian War. Britain, also, ordered the colonists to quarter, or house, British soldiers.(Reflections:The United States:Making a New Nation, 2002).


 * __Boston__** **__Tea Party Poem__**

// The Boston Tea Party poem for kids, by Paul Perro. // [] Publisher: History-for-Kids.com Date Published: 2009

Sammy lived in Boston And he loved a cup of tea. But one day something happened That made him very angry.

A king in a faraway land said "From now on every time Someone drinks a cup of tea They have to give me a dime."

This did not seem fair to Sammy. The king lived so far away Why should he care what Sammy drank? And why should Sammy pay?

Lots of people agreed with Sammy There was a lot of frustration. People made speeches with long clever words Like “taxation” and “representation.”

So Sammy got some friends together And the rebellion began. They knew where the king kept his tea And they came up with a plan.

Sammy was a little worried That they’d be recognised. So they dressed up as red Indians And then went out disguised.

The tea was kept on three ships Docked in the harbour The ships were called “The Dartmouth” “The Beaver” and “The Eleanor.”

They climbed aboard the Dartmouth first And quickly found the tea. They found hundreds of boxes And threw them in the sea.

Next they boarded the Beaver And found where the tea was stored. Just like they had done before, They threw it overboard.

Then they moved to the Eleanor And did the same thing there. They spoiled all the king’s tea Because he’d been unfair.

They hadn’t wanted to steal the tea Because stealing things is wrong. They’d wanted to teach the king a lesson That was the plan all along.

The next day everyone was talking About the tea that Sammy had sunk. They called it the Boston Tea Party Even though no tea had been drunk
 * __Boston Tea Party Bibliography__**

Author: Hawkes, James A  Title:  Retrospect of the Boston Tea-Party Published Date: 1834

Author: Morris Richard B  Title:  The Spirit of 'Seventy-Six vol I  Published Date:  1958

Author: Labaree, Benjamin Woods Title: The Boston Tea Party Published Date: 1964

Author: Dr. Priscilla H. Porter Title: Reflections The United States: Making a New Nation Publisher: Harcourt School Publishers Published Date: 2002

Author: Steven Kroll, Peter Fiore, Peter M. Fiore
Title: The Boston Tea Party Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition Published Date: May 1, 1998

**__Boston__** **__Tea Party Timeline 1773-1775__**

[] o ** May 10 ** – Parliament passes the Tea Act, retaining a three pence per pound tax on tea sold in the American colonies o ** August 4 ** – The East India Company announces the selection of tea consignees, those merchants who will be allowed to sell tea. Seven are chosen from Boston, all are Loyalists. o ** November 3 ** – Boston’s North End Caucus demands, unsuccessfully, that the tea consignees resign at noon under the Liberty Tree. o ** November 5 ** – Over 1,000 gather in a town meeting at Faneuil Hall. Committees are formed to call on tea consignees and demand their resignation. o ** November 17 ** – A mob gathers outside tea consignee Richard Clarke’s residence and smashes windows. o ** November 28 ** – The Dartmouth, the first of the tea ships, arrives in Boston Harbor. Twenty days from this date the cargo must be unloaded and the tax paid or the ship and cargo can be seized by customs officials. o ** November 29 ** – The “Body of the People” meet at the Old South Meeting House. This meeting is not an official town meeting, but instead includes participants from outlying towns as well. The large meeting moves from Faneuil Hall to the Old South Meeting House. The meeting resolves the tea must not be unloaded, but instead sent back to England. o ** November 30 ** - Artist John Singleton Copley tries to arrange a compromise between the “Body of the People” and the consignees. The consignees offer to store the tea, but the meeting at Old South finds that offer unacceptable. o ** December 13 ** – Boston learns that tea consignees in Philadelphia and New York have resigned. o ** December 14 ** – A second meeting of the Body of the People is held at the Old South Meeting House. The meeting demands Francis Rotch, owner of the tea ship Dartmouth, to request clearance to leave from custom officials. Clearance is denied. o ** December 16 (morning) ** – Deadline for resolving the issue is midnight this night. A third meeting of the Body of the People gathers at the Old South Meeting House. The crowd is estimated at 5,000 – 7,000 people. Meeting at Old South hears of Rotch’s failed mission, orders him to request pass to remove ship from harbor from Governor Hutchinson. o ** December 16 (afternoon) ** – Rotch goes to Governor Hutchinson’s in Milton, MA, and is denied his request for a pass. Upon reporting this at Old South, Samuel Adams declares, “This meeting can do nothing more to save the country.” War whoops are heard at the Old South doors, and the meeting adjourns. o ** December 16 (evening) ** – Between 6:00 and 9:00 P.M. 342 chests of tea are destroyed and thrown from the tea ships into the harbor.
 * 1773 **
 * 1774 **
 * ** January 19 ** – King George III receives first news of the Boston Tea Party. Parliament decides to punish Boston.
 * ** March 30 ** – The Boston Port Bill, closing Boston to ocean traffic until the destroyed tea is paid for, is passed by Parliament.
 * ** May 13 ** – Town meeting held in Boston. Those attending vote to refuse to pay for destroyed tea.
 * ** May 18 ** – Parliament passes Justice Bill, effectively placing province under martial law.
 * ** June 1 ** – Boston Port Bill goes into effect. o September 5 – First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia.
 * 1775 **
 * ** April 18 ** – General Gage orders British soldiers to destroy weapons depot in Concord.
 * ** April 19 ** – Battle at Lexington and Concord.

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