The Boston Tea Party

American history · protest · colonial times · revolution

Tea went overboard. On December 16, 1773, colonists boarded three British ships in Boston Harbor and dumped 342 chests of tea into the water. They were angry because Britain was taxing their tea without giving them a say in government.

Sons of Liberty led it. A secret group called the Sons of Liberty organized the protest. They wanted to show Britain that Americans were tired of unfair laws and taxes that the colonists had no power to change.

Disguised as Native Americans. The protesters wore blankets and darkened their faces to look like Mohawk Indians. This disguise helped them hide their identities so they wouldn't get arrested.

Set off a revolution. Britain was so angry about the destroyed tea that they punished Massachusetts with harsh new laws. This made tensions worse, and less than two years later, the Revolutionary War started.

A bold statement. The Boston Tea Party showed that colonists were willing to break the law and take big risks to fight for freedom and fair treatment from their government.