Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a protest by American colonists (called "patriots") against King George III's rule in colonial America. It happened on December 16, 1773. 

Specifically, the Boston Tea Party was a protest against the British colonial government's Tea Act. This was one of several new taxes the British government had imposed on the American colonies. In protest, the colonists threw 342 chests of tea imported by a British company into Boston Harbor. 

 Taxation without representation 
Because they had no one to speak for them in the British government, the colonists were paying taxes but had no part in how the government was run. They argued that there should be "no taxation without representation" - meaning they should not have to pay taxes when they did not have a representative in the government. 

The taxes also reduced merchants' profits. Colonists began purchasing smuggled goods, which were much cheaper.

 Events 
On the evening of December 16, 1773, several ships in Boston Harbor were holding tea imported from the British East India Company. Anyone who bought this tea would have to pay the new British tax. In protest, the Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams, boarded the ships and dumped the boxes of tea into the harbor. They disguised themselves as Native Americans for the protest.  

 Reaction 
The British government was enraged.  Parliament passed even stricter laws for the colonies, later called the Intolerable Acts.  One of these laws, the Boston Port Act, closed Boston Harbor until the colonists paid for all the tea they dumped. Another, the Massachusetts Government Act, took away Boston's right to govern itself.

The Boston Tea Party was one of the main events that started the American Revolutionary War.

David Kinnison (1764[?]-1852), who served briefly in the American Revolution, "Kennierson, David.  Return of recruits sent by Massachusetts as portion of her quota of the Continental Army subsequent to Jan. 1, 1781, who were reported unfit for duty; 2d Mass regt.; age 17 years.; statute 4 ft. 9 in.; enguaged for town of Lebanon; term 3 years; reported under size." {Ibid.p.124} claimed to have been at the Boston Tea Party. However, he would have been only 9 years old at the time. 

 References 

 Other websites  

 Boston Tea Party -history.com
 The Boston Tea Party Historical Society

Category:1770s in Massachusetts
Category:18th-century rebellions
Category:American Revolutionary War
Category:History of Boston
Category:Rebellions in North America
Category:1773