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 forever. 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 Meeting House. 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 some of that dept.



When the colonist learned of this new tax law it outraged them. During the notorious meeting at the Old South Meeting House, 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 of the Old South Meeting House, 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 Griffin's Wharf from the Old South Meeting House, they put their already sworn secret plan into action. . 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 smeared 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.Heading home,the Patriots formed a double line led by Captain 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.