Channel Button

There are 49 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #4 by Helium's members.

Arts & Humanities   >

Colonial & Early American History

Get a Widget for this title

What was the Boston Tea Party?

The night was December 16, 1773, at Griffins Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. That night would change the course of America's history. Earlier that day a freezing rain was falling down the colonial port city of Boston. The people of Boston were rushing to the Old South Church. A meeting was taking place there, to discuss a problem that had been troubling the colonist for a long time, the tax on tea.



King George III decided the people of Great Britain were paying a heavily tax on tea, so he decided the American colonies should help pay off the dept by taxing the tea also.When the colonist learned of this new tax law it outraged them. During a meeting at the old South Church, Sam Adams talked to the colonist, his voice quavering saying, "This meeting can do nothing more to save the country." These ten words from Adams were a signal. Outside ear splitting yells filled the air. "Boston Harbor a teapot tonight!" someone shouted.

Near the front door a group of Indians suddenly appeared. There were about fifty men roughly disguised as Mohawk Indians caring hatchets.They formed a double column line and began marching down Milk Street toward the waterfront. When the Indians set out for Griffins Wharf from the Old South Church, they had already planned it .The plan and its participants were sworn to secrecy. The leaders specified that tonight's work must be done by those not known in town and not be recognized. The men disguised themselves in old torn clothing and woolen caps and wrapped themselves in shabby blankets. They smudged their faces with lampblack and chimney soot.When they reached the wharf the rain stopped, but it was cold and windy.

It took less than three hours for the men to dump three hundred and two crates of tea into the Boston Harbor.The Patriots formed a double line led by Caption Pitts along with a man playing "Yankee Doodle" on his flute. Marching through the crowd and into the night, they pass by Admiral Montague's house.The Admiral appeared in the window and said, "Well boys, you've had a fine pleasant evening for your Indian caper haven't you', But mind you have to pay the fiddler yet!" By ten p.m. there was no sign that the Boston Tea Party, as it would come to be known had ever taken place.

Learn more about this author, Sharon Mazaka.
Contact this writer Click here to send this author comments or questions.


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

What was the Boston Tea Party?

  • 1 of 49

    by Katie Lee

    On a chilly December evening in 1773, approximately 150 American colonists, disguised as Mohawk Indians, stole on board three

    read more

  • 2 of 49

    by Camilla Persson

    What started as an act of protest against taxes and monopolies quickly joined all American colonists together against Great

    read more

  • 3 of 49

    by Charlie H.

    On December 16, 1773, not two years before the full scale American Revolution, a band of Colonists, members of the secret

    read more

  • 4 of 49

    by Sharon Mazaka

    The night was December 16, 1773, at Griffins Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. That night would change the course of America's

    read more

  • 5 of 49

    by James Mockridge.

    The Boston Tea Party is an episode that is lodged forever more in history. An incident stemming from the Colonists anger

    read more

View All Articles on:
What was the Boston Tea Party?

Add your voice

Know something about What was the Boston Tea Party??
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Was America founded as a Christian nation?

Click for your side.

87008

Featured Partner

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has partnered with Helium, giving you the chance to write for a ca...more

What is Helium? | Buy Web Content | Contact Us | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA | User Tools | Help | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA