The Boston Tea Party was a significant event that took place on December 16, 1773, in Boston, Massachusetts, during the American Revolution. Here are the key events surrounding the Boston Tea Party:
1. Tea Act: In 1773, the British government passed the Tea Act, which gave the British East India Company a monopoly on the sale of tea in the American colonies. This angered colonists who viewed it as a violation of their rights.
2. Tea Ships Arrive: In late November and early December of 1773, three tea ships named Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver arrived in Boston Harbor carrying a large quantity of tea.
3. Protests and Meetings: Colonists held meetings and discussions to determine how to respond to the Tea Act. The Sons of Liberty, a secret organization, played a significant role in organizing resistance.
4. Governor's Refusal: Despite protests, the royal governor, Thomas Hutchinson, refused to let the tea ships leave the harbor without paying the import duties.
5. The Night of the Tea Party: On the evening of December 16, 1773, a group of colonists, disguised as Native Americans, boarded the tea ships. They dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor, destroying the entire cargo.
6. Reaction from Britain: The British government responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, which were meant to punish the people of Boston.
7. Significance: The Boston Tea Party became a symbol of resistance against British taxation and played a crucial role in the growing tensions that eventually led to the American Revolution.
These events ultimately fueled the desire for American independence and were pivotal in shaping the course of the American Revolution.
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