Boston Tea Party

We have heard the stories of revolt and resistance against the oppressor. The acts of rebellion have been engraved on the pages of history. So, what exactly happened in history that caused a tea party being organized? As opposed to the name, it was everything but party!

It was a revolt of the American colonists against the British government.

What happened at the Boston Tea Party?

The rebels, dressed as Mohawk Indians boarded the three trade ships at the Boston harbor and 342 chests of tea were thrown in to the sea. It was 90,000 pounds of tea worth millions of dollars today! The three ship boarded that day were Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver.

The Reason

Tea was the favorite beverage of the British and the colonies and it was also one of the major sources of income for the East India trading Company. The British had the monopoly of Tea all over and told the colonies that they could buy it only through their company. Tea act further levied heavy taxes on Tea which made the it a very costly drink!

No involvement in the tax making policies made the Americans even more furious about the British and activities such as increasing taxes on basic daily needs meant people getting angry! They refused to pay taxes and asked the tea to be returned to England. When none of their demands were met, it was a green signal for the protestors!

Boston Tea Party Time and Venue

• The Boston tea party occurred on 16 December, 1773. It is one of the key incidents that led to the American revolution.
• The place where the tea was destroyed is thought to be at the intersection of the Congress and purchase streets in Boston, which at that time was under the sea.