The Boston Tea Party

  • Parliament passes the Tea Act

    The American colonies continue to be taxed on tea.
  • Meeting in the Old South Meeting House

    2,500 people gather in this meeting house to select men to guard the ships when they arrive with the tea so that none of it can be unloaded in secret.
  • The Dartmouth Arrives

    The first ship arrives in the Boston Harbor.
  • The Eleanor Arrives

    The next ship, carrying tea, arrives and is docked next to the Dartmouth in the harbor.
  • Burning Tea

    Citizens of Lexington, Massachusetts burn all of their tea in a common bonfire.
  • Tea Party

    340 barrels of tea are dumped from the ships in the Boston Harbor.
  • Boston is Punished

    King George III of England hears of the Boston Tea Party for the first time and decides that Boston should be punished.