What Happened During The Boston Tea Party?

The Boston Tea Party which took place on December 16, 1773, was one of many protests against unfair taxes in America during the 18th century. It began with a series of incidents that occurred between 1768 and 1770 known as the Townshend Acts. Under these acts, Parliament placed several new taxes on goods imported into Britain’s American colonies. One of these taxes affected all items imported from Britain and its colonies in India: China porcelain (tea), cotton cloth (silk), indigo dye and glass products such as window panes and bottles were all subject to taxes if they were imported directly from Britain or its colonies in India or China.
The Sons of Liberty were a secret organization of patriots who opposed British rule in colonial America. Members of this group dressed up as Native Americans and boarded three ships that were docked at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston Harbor. They threw all 342 chests of tea overboard into Boston Harbor while they shouted “Boston Harbor a teapot tonight!” In addition to destroying the tea, they also destroyed two ships that were anchored nearby with their axes. This destroyed about $10,000 worth of tea and showed Britain that Americans would not give up their rights without fighting for them. It was one of the first steps towards a revolution that would separate America from Great Britain. Later the British government punished the colony of Massachusetts. The memory of that day is still preserved.