The Boston Tea Party: The Protest That Sparked a Revolution
On December 16, 1773, in what would become one of the most iconic moments leading up to the American Revolution, a group of colonists gathered at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston. Disguised as Mohawk warriors, members of the Sons of Liberty boarded three ships—the Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver—and dumped 342 chests of British East India Company tea into Boston Harbor. Their target was the Tea Act of 1773, which allowed the British to sell tea directly to the colonies at a lower price—but with a hidden tax. To the colonists, this wasn’t cheap tea—it was taxation without representation.
The British government responded with the Coercive Acts, known in the colonies as the Intolerable Acts, which shut down Boston’s port and stripped Massachusetts of its self-governance. The Boston Tea Party unified colonial resistance, turning protest into revolution. It marked a turning point in colonial America’s growing desire for independence and helped spark the first shots of the Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord just sixteen months later.
While the phrase “Boston Tea Party” didn’t enter popular use until decades later, the event quickly became a powerful symbol of defiance. More than a protest over tea, it challenged the entire foundation of British authority in the colonies. Other ports had sent tea ships back to England—but in Boston, the cargo went overboard.
Today, the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum offers a fully immersive look at this historic event. Located near the site of the original protest, the museum features interactive exhibits, historical reenactments, and two full-scale replica ships: the Eleanor and the Beaver. It also houses one of the only surviving tea chests from that night. Though the original Griffin’s Wharf no longer exists, the museum ensures that the legacy of the Boston Tea Party—and its role in igniting the American Revolution—remains front and center in Boston’s historic landscape.
Matt Lambros MA Boston Apr 01, 2025 History Museums Places to Visit
Apr 01, 2025
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