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Learn about the The Stamp Act of 1765. A tax the Britain placed on the American colonies eventually leading the Revolutionary War.

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No Taxation Without Representation - The Song

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Kids learn about the history of the French and Indian War of the American Colonies between 1754 and 1763 including major battles, events, ending, and results.

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Learn about the Causes of the American Revolution including the French and Indian War, taxes, the Intolerable Acts, Boston Massacre, and more.

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Boston Tea Party

Part of the American Revolution

Date

December 16, 1773

Location

Caused by
Tea Act

Goals

To protest British Parliament's tax on tea. "No taxation without representation."

Methods

Throw the tea into Boston Harbor but do no damage to anything else.

Resulted in
Intolerable Acts

Parties to the civil conflict

The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 16, 1773. They were upset by the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which allowed the British East India company to sell tea from China in American colonies without paying taxes on it, while the colonists were charged tax when they purchased it by order of the Townshend Acts.

American Patriots were upset because the taxes in the Townshend Act were a violation of their rights. Demonstrators, some disguised as Native Americans, destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company.

They boarded the ships and threw the chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. The British government responded harshly and the events grew into the American Revolution which began near Boston in 1775. The Tea Party became a famous event in American history, and since then other political protests such as the Tea Party movement have referred to themselves as historical successors to the Boston protest of 1773.

Background

The Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts of 1767 angered colonists because they meant that the British could tax the colonies with no representation in the Westminster Parliament ("no taxation without representation"). One man who did not like the taxes was John Hancock. In 1768, his ship Liberty was forcefully taken by British customs officials and he was charged with smuggling. He was defended by John Adams and the charges were eventually dropped. However, Hancock later faced several hundred more accusations.

Hancock organized a boycott of tea from China sold by the British East India Company, whose sales in the colonies then fell from $383,458 (320,000 pounds) to $623 (520 pounds). By 1773, the company had large debts, huge stocks of tea in its warehouses, and no possibility of selling it because smugglers such as Hancock were importing tea without paying taxes (import tax). The British government passed the Tea Act, which allowed the East India Company to sell tea to the colonies directly, which allowed them to sell for lower prices than those offered by the colonial merchants and smugglers.

The British East India Company ships carrying tea were prevented from landing, as most American ports turned the tea away. Protesters had successfully prevented the unloading of tea in three other colonies, but in Boston, the British-appointed Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson refused to allow the tea to be returned to Britain. He convinced the tea brokers, two of whom were his sons, not to back down.

The East India Company with the help of Governor Hutchinson made plans to bring in - by force - the tea under the protection given by British armed ships. Governor Hutchinson had been urging London to deal harshly with the Sons of Liberty. If he had done what the other royal governors had done and let the ship owners and captains resolve the issue with the colonists, Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver would have left the harbor without unloading any tea.

The Boston Tea Party

On December 16, 1773, the evening before the tea was supposed to be landed, the Sons of Liberty, in three groups of 50 Boston residents each, organized by Samuel Adams, burst from the Old South Meeting House and headed toward Griffin's Wharf. Three ships - the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver - had hundreds of crates of tea on them. The men boarded the ships and began destroying the cargo. By 9 pm they had opened 342 crates of tea in all three ships and had thrown them into Boston Harbor.

They took off their shoes, swept the decks, and made sure that each ship's first mate knew that the Sons of Liberty had destroyed only the tea. The whole event was remarkably quiet and peaceful. The next day, they sent someone around to fix the one padlock they had broken.

John Adams and many other Americans considered tea drinking to be unpatriotic following the Boston Tea Party. Tea drinking declined during and after the Revolution, resulting in a shift to coffee as the preferred hot drink of Americans.

The Reaction

Whether or not Samuel Adams helped plan the Boston Tea Party is debated, but he immediately worked to advertise and defend it. He explained that the Tea Party was not the act of a lawless mob but was instead a peaceful, meaningful protest and the only remaining option the people had to defend their constitutional rights. The issue was never the tax itself but how the tax was passed without American input. United States Congress taxed tea from 1789 to 1872.

There were both colonial and British officials who disliked that the Boston Tea Party happened. For instance, Benjamin Franklin stated that the destroyed tea must be paid for. The British government punished the colonies by closing the port of Boston and put in place other laws that were known as the " Intolerable Acts," called the Coercive Acts in Britain.

The Boston Tea Party was one of the important events that led to the American Revolution. At the very least, the Boston Tea Party and the reaction that followed caused support to grow for revolutionaries in the thirteen colonies who were eventually successful in their fight for independence.

American activists with different political views have used the Tea Party as a symbol of protest. In 1973, on the 200th anniversary of the Tea Party, a mass meeting called for the impeachment of President Richard Nixon and protested oil companies in the ongoing oil crisis. Afterward, protesters boarded a replica ship (an exact copy of a ship) in Boston Harbor and dumped several empty oil drums into the harbor.

In 1998, two conservative U.S. Congressmen put the federal tax code into a chest marked "tea" and dumped it into the harbor.

The Boston Tea Party Museum is located on the Congress Street Bridge in Boston. It features reenactments, a documentary, and a number of interactive exhibits. The museum features two replica ships of the period, Eleanor and Beaver. Additionally, the museum possesses one of two known tea chests from the original event as part of its permanent collection.

Interesting facts about the Boston Tea Party

Boston was one of four cities that was to receive tea shipments from the British East India Company.

The Beaver, one of the ships that was boarded by the Sons of Liberty, had been quarantined in the outer harbor for two weeks because of a case of smallpox.

The tea that was destroyed was originally from China.

George Washington condemned the Boston Tea Party, which was not referred to as a "party" until about 50 years later.

The identities of the participants were hidden for decades after the event.

One of the members of the raiding party was Moby Dick author Herman Melville's grandfather, Thomas Melville.

Enough tea was dumped into the harbor to fill 18.5 million teabags.

The only person harmed in the Boston Tea Party was John Crane. He was knocked unconscious by a falling crate and thought to be dead. He was reportedly hidden under a pile of wood shavings in a nearby carpenter's shop but awoke hours later.

Images for kids

This iconic 1846 lithograph by Nathaniel Currier was entitled The Destruction of Tea at Boston Harbor; the phrase "Boston Tea Party" had not yet become standard. Contrary to Currier's depiction, few of the men dumping the tea were actually disguised as Native Americans.

This notice from the "Chairman of the Committee for Tarring and Feathering" in Boston denounced the people who bought tea as "traitors to their country."

Plaque affixed to side of the Independence Wharf building (2009)

The Boston Tea Party Museum in Fort Point Channel

Replica of the Beaver in Boston

In Spanish: Motín del té para niños

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The Boston Tea Party

It was another cold December night in Boston. The three British ships the were sitting in Boston harbor, their holds full of tea that wasn't being unloaded because the angry residents of Boston were threatened not to buy or use the tea. Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver

The anger was directed at the government of Great Britain, which at that time had passed the Tea Act, a law that almost guaranteed that the American colonists would buy tea from the East India Company. Why? Because the law lowered the price on tea that the East India Company so much that it was the cheapest tea around. In fact, it was way below the price charged by other tea companies. Most American colonists, looking for ways to cut costs and save money, would choose a cheaper tea over a more expensive tea any day.

Why did this law come about? Well, the East India Company wasn't doing so well and the British government wanted to help the company get back on its feet.

Other tea companies weren't happy about the Tea Act, of course, but the American colonists viewed it as another example of "taxation without representation": In effect, the Tea Act was putting a tax on tea sold by companies other than the East India Company. As with the Stamp Act and other unpopular taxes, they were all voted in by Parliament, which was thousands of miles away, and the American colonists had no way to influence the law or speak out against it while it was being debated in government.

So the colonists were angry. They wanted to do something else to let the British know about the unhappiness that the Tea Act was causing. Some people wanted to keep things nonviolent; others wanted bloodshed. The result was somewhere in the middle.

group of colonists determined to make things change was the A Sons of Liberty. Led by such impassioned patriots as Samuel Adams and John Hancock, the Sons of Liberty had secret meetings at which they discussed how best to get their message across to Great Britain, that the American people wanted more of a role in governing themselves.

Christmas was approaching in the year 1773, and the colonists faced another year of unopposed and unrepresentative taxes. The Sons of Liberty decided to take action.

Donning disguises that made them look like they were Native Americans, a large group of the Sons of Liberty on December 16 stormed aboard those three unsuspecting British ships and dumped 342 crates full of tea overboard. By any standards, that's a lot of tea. These crates happened to be jammed full of tea, and so the companies that made that tea lost a lot of money that night.

Because the Sons of Liberty were disguised as Native Americans, they could claim that they were not guilty of dumping the tea. The British government knew better, of course, and grew angrier than ever at what it saw as Americans' ingratitude. The very next year saw the passage of what came to be called the Intolerable Acts, one of which closed the port of Boston entirely.

The Boston Tea Party was a symbolic act, an example of how far Americans were willing to speak out for their freedom. Two short years later, Americans were willing to give their lives for their freedom, as shots rang out on Lexington Green.

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The Boston Tea Party It was another cold December night in Boston. The three British ships the were sitting in Boston harbor, their holds full of tea that wasn't being unloaded because the angry residents of Boston were threatened not to buy or use the tea.

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Kids learn about the Boston Tea Party major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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Did you know that the residents of Boston once threw a huge tea party in Boston ? It was a revolutionary event that didn't look anything like the tea parties you might throw for your friends when you're playing!

On a cold night in December 1773, a group of American called the Sons of - some of whom were as Native Americans - boarded three British ships in Boston and dumped 342 crates of tea into the water. This event, which became known as the Boston Tea Party, was one of the major events that led to the American Revolution .

Why did the do this? It was their way of protesting what they believed were being upon them by Great Britain. They didn't think it was right that Great Britain could force them to buy tea from the East India Trading Company (a British company) and pay high on the tea (due to the Tea Act) - all without having a voice, or representation , in the British government.

The cry the used was "no taxation without representation ." They believed they deserved to have representatives to express their views in the British government if that government wanted to impose upon them.

At first, the refused to pay on the tea and asked that it be returned to England. When the British government refused, they decided to dump the tea into the instead. If you're wondering what the big deal was, you should know that the containers of tea weighed about 90,000 pounds, which in today's money would be worth about $1 million!

Even though many of the had worn disguises, the British government knew who was responsible. It responded with a series of even more and a set of laws known as the Intolerable Acts. Just two years later, the American Revolution would begin!

Here are some other fun facts about the Boston Tea Party:

The three British ships that had their tea dumped overboard were the Dartmouth, the Eleanor and the Beaver.

Paul Revere was one of the people who participated in the Boston Tea Party.

The tea that was dumped into Boston was originally from China.

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Did you know that the residents of Boston once threw a huge tea party in Boston ? It was a revolutionary event that didn't look anything like the tea parties you might throw for your friends when you're playing!

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On December 16, 1773, a group of Colonists destroyed a large British tea shipment in Boston harbor. So did this act of defiance light a fire that led to American independence within the next decade?

For years, Americans refused to buy British tea because it included a tax levied on tea drinkers, a thought that repulsed colonists who didn't believe they should be taxed without a representative sitting in the British parliament to voice their concerns.

Instead, Americans bought tea smuggled into the colonies. But in May 1773, Parliament gave the East India Company a tea monopoly in America that also made British tea much cheaper than smuggled tea.

The animosity had been brewing among the American colonists for months. On October 16, 1773, a group of Philadelphia patriots decided to tell the British Crown that it would mount a boycott of tea, months before a similar act in Boston.

The publication of a document from the meeting called Philadelphia Resolutions triggered public protests in Boston and Philadelphia. "The claim of parliament to tax America, is, in other words, a claim of right to levy contributions on us at pleasure," the Resolutions said. "The duty, imposed by parliament upon tea landed in America, is a tax on the Americans, or levying contributions on them, without their consent."

The Resolutions also made it clear that the group thought the money raised by the tea tax through the Townshend Acts would be used by the Crown to eliminate local governments run by the colonies, and the group called on Americans to prevent "a violent attack upon the liberties of America" by stopping the unloading of tea shipments and any tea sales.

Three weeks later, a similar group met at Faneuil Hall in Boston, and it adopted the Philadelphia Resolutions.

"That the sense of this town cannot be better expressed than in the words of certain judicious resolves, lately entered into by our worthy brethren, the citizens of Philadelphia," the Boston group said.

Two months later in Boston, three ships arrived with 342 chests of tea. In what became known as the Boston Tea Party, a party of men dressed as Native Americans dumped the tea chest's contents into Boston Harbor, after the governor, Thomas Hutchinson, refused colonists' demands for the ships to depart peacefully with their cargo unloaded.

In late December 1773, one ship with 698 cases of tea attempted to land in Philadelphia but it was turned away. A group of 6,000 Philadelphians met at the State House to discuss the situation, in what was the largest mass gathering in the colonies. Tea shipments were also blocked in New York and Charleston.

The violent protests in Boston Harbor were met with a direct response from Great Britain. In April 1774, the British Parliament passed the Coercive (or Intolerable) Acts, which punished Massachusetts for the Tea Party incident. The Acts not only took away home rule from Massachusetts, it forced all Americans to board British troops in unoccupied buildings.

At the same time, Franklin wrote a public letter in London, under an assumed name, that made it clear how he felt about Parliament, "who appear to be no better acquainted with their History or Constitution than they are with the Inhabitants of the Moon."

"The Flame of Liberty in North America shall not be extinguished. Cruelty and Oppression and Revenge shall only serve as Oil to increase the Fire," Franklin added.

The other colonies saw the Acts as a punishment targeted at all of them, and by September 1774, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to determine an appropriate response. The following April, fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord, and the American Revolution was underway.

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On this day, the Boston Tea Party lights a fuse

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On December 16, 1773, a group of Colonists destroyed a large British tea shipment in Boston harbor. So did this act of defiance light a fire that led to American independence within the next decade?

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December 16th, 1773
View Participant List >
It is estimated that hundreds took part in the Boston Tea Party. For fear of punishment, many participants of the Boston Tea Party remained anonymous for many years after the event. To date it is known that 116 people are documented to have participated. Not all of the participants of the Boston Tea Party are known; many carried the secret of their participation to their graves. The participants were made up of males from all walks of colonial society. Many were from Boston or the surrounding area, but some participants are documented to have come from as far away as Worcester in central Massachusetts and Maine. The vast majority was of English descent, but men of Irish, Scottish, French, Portuguese, and African ancestry were documented to have also participated. The participants were of all ages, but the majority of the documented participants was under the age of forty. Sixteen participants were teenagers, and only nine men were above the age of forty. Many of the Boston Tea Party participants fled Boston immediately after the destruction of the tea to avoid arrest. Thousands witnessed the event, and the implication and impact of this action were enormous ultimately leading to the start of the American Revolution.

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Participants in the Boston Tea Party | Boston Tea Party Participants

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Were your relatives participants in the Boston Tea Party? Find out here!

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An Eyewitness Account of the Boston Tea Party - Archiving Early America

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Boston Tea Party As Told By George Hewes On a bright cold moonlit evening on December 16, 1773 a group of sixty colonists boarded three British ships in ..

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The War That Made America - French & Indian War Timeline | PBS

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The War That Made America, a PBS documentary, tells the story of the French and Indian War and how it impacted the American Revolution.

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History: American Revolutionary War Timeline

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Learn about the events of the American Revolutionary War Timeline in US history.

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Learn about the Battle of Lexington and Concord major event in the American Revolutionary War. The first battles of the war.

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Learn about the Intolerable Acts of the American Revolution including how they got their name, the Boston Port Act, Quartering Act, results, and interesting facts.

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Learn about the Townshend Acts from the American Revolution including how they got their name, what the laws did, why the colonists protested them, results, and interesting facts.

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by Pamela Kline and Paul Pavao
"Savages may indeed be a formidable enemy to your raw American militia; but upon the king's regular and disciplined troops, Sir, it is impossible they should make an impression."
Those were British General Edward Braddock's last words to Benjamin Franklin when he had been warned about the native Americans. Britian and France were fighting over land around the Ohio River and Mississippi River. This went on from 1754 to 1763.

The costs of the French Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War (for its eruption into a worldwide conflict in 1756), led to the the passing of the "Stamp Act," by Parliament in 1765.

Britain Finances the War

Britain was indebted millions of dollars due after funding the war that obtained the land that is now Canada, the Mississippi River valley, and the Ohio River valley.

Britain was in desperate straits trying to pay off the banks they owed for this funding. Parliament gathered, trying to think of ways to pay this off.

Finally, on February 6, 1765, George Grenville presented a bill to Parliament. This bill suggested that they tax the colonies in young America for the "protection" Britain had provided and was providing. The bill called for the stationing of 10,000 troops along the Applachian frontier to safeguard British possessions, but their greatest concern was their huge national debt.

The bill was passed on February 17th of that year. They called it the Stamp Act. This act taxed virtually every piece of paper that passed through the colonies, from newspapers to legal documents and even including playing cards and dice. Americans objected to paying a tax to play cards, write messages, and even play games with dice.

Colonial and British Response to the Stamp Act

The act applied not only to colonists but to England as well. In Britain, these acts would sometimes get so out of hand that riots would be the product of the taxation.

In America, the Stamp Act first produced the cry, "No taxation without representation."

British citizens were only to be taxed by their representatives. Thus, the Virginia House of Burgesses, at the instigation of Patrick Henry, passed the Stamp Act Resolves, declaring all taxes illegal unless imposed by the House of Burgesses.

In response, Virginian British governor simply dissolved the House of Burgesses, but to no avail. Angry Virginians met George Mercer, the tax collector, and intimidated him into resigning.

New York then held a Stamp Act Congress and issued a Declaration of Rights and Grievances.

The Stamp Act is Repealed

The Stamp Act had a short lifespan.

Parliament repealed the Act in February, 1766, although it also issued the "Declatory Act," officially stating England's right to tax American colonies "in all cases whatsoever."

The Stamp Act was replaced in 1767 by the Townshend Acts, a different set of taxes also meant to service England's debt from the French and Indian War.

Opposing Opinions on the Floor of Parliament
We had to include this very interesting exchange between Charles Townshend, who would later be author of the Townshend Acts, and Col. Isaac Barre, as reported by Virginia representative Jared Ingersoll. Colonel Barre was a member of Parliament who had fought in America during the Seven Years War, receiving injuries that left him blind in one eye and severely scarred on his face.
Discussion on the Floor of Parliament

And now will these Americans, children planted by our care, nourished up by our Indulgence until they are grown to a degree of strength and opulence, and protected by our arms, will they grudge to contribute their mite to relieve us from heavy weight of the burden which we lie under?

They planted by your care? No! Your oppression planted 'em in America. They fled from your tyranny to a then uncultivated and unhospitable country where they exposed themselves to almost all the hardships to which human nature is liable, and among others to the cruelties of a savage foe, the most subtle, and I take upon me to say, the most formidable of any people upon the face of God's earth. And yet, actuated by principles of true English liberty, they met all these hardships with pleasure, compared with those they suffered in their own country, from the hands of those who should have been their friends.

They nourished by your indulgence? They grew by your neglect of 'em. As soon as you began to care about ?em, that care was exercised in sending persons to rule over 'em, in one department and another, who were perhaps the deputies of deputies to some member of this house, sent to spy out their liberty, to misrepresent their actions and to prey upon 'em; men whose behaviour on many occasions has caused the blood of those sons of liberty to recoil within them: men promoted to the highest seats of justice; some who to my knowledge were glad by going to a foreign country to escape being brought to the bar of a court of justice in their own.

They protected by your arms? They have nobly taken up arms in your defence, have exerted a valour amidst their constant and laborious industry for the defence of a country whose frontier while drenched in blood, its interior parts have yielded all its little savings to your emolument. And believe me, remember I this day told you so, that same spirit of freedom which actuated that people at first, will accompany them still. But prudence forbids me to explain myself further. God knows I do not at this time speak from motives of party heat; what I deliver are the genuine sentiments of my heart; however superior to me in general knowledge and experience the reputable body of this House may be, yet I claim to know more of America than most of you, having seen and been conversant in that country. The people I believe are as truly loyal as any subjects the king has, but a people jealous of their liberties and who will vindicate them if ever they should be violated; but the subject is too delicate and I will say no more. [1]

Intolerable Acts

Causes of the American Revolution

Return to Revolutionary War Timeline

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by Pamela Kline and Paul Pavao "Savages may indeed be a formidable enemy to your raw American militia; but upon the king's regular and disciplined troops, Sir, it is impossible they should make an impression." Those were British General Edward Braddock's last words to Benjamin Franklin when he had been warned about the native Americans.

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Kids learn about Paul Revere's famous ride of warning the patriots about the British; major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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Learn about the Boston Massacre where five colonies were killed by the British. Major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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December 15, 1773

On December 15, 1773, the Beaver, the last of the three ships sailing from London, England arrived at Griffin's Wharf in Boston. The was delayed due to a case of smallpox which broke out onboard, and she was held in quarantine for two weeks in Boston's outer harbor. Previously, the Dartmouth had arrived at Griffin's Wharf on November 28 and the Eleanor on December 2. The Beaver was commanded by Captain Coffin, the Dartmouth by Captain Hall, and the Eleanor by Captain Bruce. There were to be four ships, but the William ran aground off Cape Cod on December 10, 1773, in a violent storm. The Beaver, Dartmouth, and Eleanor each carried more than one hundred chests of British East India Company Tea. The tea came from China and was described as the "Bohea" type. In the 18th century tea trade, black tea was referred to as "Bohea" which traditionally came from the Wuyi Mountain region of China, but the term "Bohea" was hijacked by the tea trade to refer to all black tea varieties. Additionally, the shipment of British East India Company tea also contained green tea from the Chinese province of Anhui..

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Boston Tea Party History | Where the Tea Party Began

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Educate yourself about the event that helped start the American Revolution. Learn about Boston Tea Party History and Where the Tea Party Began.

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Paul Revere, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott - Road to Revolution for Kids

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When Paul Revere reached Lexington, two other riders joined him. The three men were stopped by a British patrol. But two riders got away. William Dawes was tossed from his horse, but still managed to escape. Samuel Prescott, a young doctor, kept his horse and rode to warn the militia in Concord that the British were en route.

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In 1774 and 1775, the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety employed Paul Revere as an express rider to carry news, messages, and copies of important documents as far away as New York and Philadelphia.

On the evening of April 18, 1775, Dr. Joseph Warren summoned Paul Revere and gave him the task of riding to Lexington, Massachusetts, with the news that British soldiers stationed in Boston were about to march into the countryside northwest of the town. According to Warren, these troops planned to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock, two leaders of the Sons of Liberty, who were staying at a house in Lexington. It was thought they would then continue on to the town of Concord, to capture or destroy military stores - gunpowder, ammunition, and several cannon - that had been stockpiled there. In fact, the British troops had no orders to arrest anyone - Dr. Warren's intelligence on this point was faulty - but they were very much on a major mission out of Boston. Revere contacted an unidentified friend (probably Robert Newman, the sexton of Christ Church in Boston's North End) and instructed him to hold two lit lanterns in the tower of Christ Church (now called the Old North Church) as a signal to fellow Sons of Liberty across the Charles River in case Revere was unable to leave town.

The two lanterns were a predetermined signal stating that the British troops planned to row "by sea" across the Charles River to Cambridge, rather than march "by land" out Boston Neck.

Revere then stopped by his own house to pick up his boots and overcoat, and proceeded the short distance to Boston's North End waterfront. There two friends rowed him across the river to Charlestown. Slipping past the British warship HMS Somerset in the darkness, Revere landed safely. After informing Colonel Conant and other local Sons of Liberty about recent events in Boston and verifying that they had seen his signals in the North Church tower, Revere borrowed a horse from John Larkin, a Charlestown merchant and a patriot sympathizer. While there, a member of the Committee of Safety named Richard Devens warned Revere that there were a number of British patrols in the area who might try to intercept him.

At about eleven o'clock Revere set off on horseback. After narrowly avoiding capture just outside of Charlestown, Revere changed his planned route and rode through Medford, where he alarmed Isaac Hall, the captain of the local militia, informing him of the British movements. He then alarmed almost all the houses from Medford, through Menotomy (today's Arlington) - carefully avoiding the Royall Mansion whose property he rode through (Isaac Royall was a well-known Loyalist) - and arrived in Lexington sometime after midnight.

In Lexington, as he approached the house where Adams and Hancock were staying, Sergeant Monroe, acting as a guard outside the house, requested that he not make so much noise. "Noise!" cried Revere, "You'll have noise enough before long. The regulars are coming out!" According to tradition, John Hancock, who was still awake, heard Revere's voice and said "Come in, Revere! We're not afraid of you". He entered the house and delivered his message.

About half past twelve, William Dawes, who had traveled the longer land route out of Boston Neck, arrived in Lexington carrying the same message as Revere. After both men "refreshed themselves" (i.e. had something to eat and drink), they decided to continue on to Concord, Massachusetts, to verify that the military stores were properly dispersed and hidden away. A short distance outside of Lexington, they were overtaken by Dr. Samuel Prescott, who they determined was a fellow "high Son of Liberty." A short time later, a British patrol intercepted all three men. Prescott and Dawes escaped; Revere was held for some time, questioned, and let go. Before he was released, however, his horse was confiscated to replace the tired mount of a British sergeant. Left alone on the road, Revere returned to Lexington on foot in time to witness the latter part of the battle on Lexington Green.

This story comes from several accounts written by Paul Revere after his Midnight Ride. To see one of them in his own handwriting, with a transcription, visit "Revere's Own Words." To find all the answers to your Midnight Ride questions, see our Frequently Asked Questions page.

For more information and an interactive map experience, view our Midnight Ride Map. You can also "Recreate the Ride" on your own!

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In 1774 and 1775, the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety employed Paul Revere as an express rider to carry news, messages, and copies of important documents as far away as New York and Philadelphia.

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french and indian war seven year british 13 colony colonies british coming usa us united states of america

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French and Indian War - EnchantedLearning.com

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Paul Revere's Ride: The Patriots Prepare for Battle

On April 16th, 1775, Paul Revere began to gather tips that a raid was planned for the city of Concord in the coming days. In fact, it is speculated that these tips came from General Gage's wife, an American who may have been sympathetic to the plight of her countrymen. With this intelligence, Revere began making plans to alert the surrounding countryside by horseback that the redcoats would indeed be arriving to ransack their military supplies.

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The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere | Paul Revere's Ride

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On April 16th, 1775, Paul Revere began to gather tips that a raid was planned for the city of Concord in the coming days. In fact, it is speculated that these tips came from General Gage's wife, an American who may have been sympathetic to the plight of her countrymen.

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We all know it as Paul Revere's Ride, but Paul Revere never finished his ride.

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1765 The Stamp Act, Stamp Act Congress - Road to Revolution for Kids

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The Government of Great Britain, Parliament, still needed money to pay off the cost of the Seven Years War, known in the colonies as the French and Indian War. They believed that the colonists should help pay this cost since much of the fighting was done to defend them.

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The Stamp Act of 1765 refers to the tax enforced by the Parliament of Great Britain on the colonies of then British America. The act called for printed materials within the colonies to be standardized using London-made stamp paper with embossed revenue stamps. Such printed materials comprise mostly of legal documents, newspapers, magazines and other types of paper used throughout the colonies.

The new stamp tax system was paid using valid British currency, just like previous taxes. The primary objective was to assist in the burden of paying for the troops stationed in North America, just right after British success in the famous global military conflict, the Seven Year's War. Because the British government strongly believed that the colonies were those who benefitted the most from the war, they should play their part by paying a portion of the expenses.

The Seven Years War

What led to the creation of the Stamp Act of 1765 was the British "Pyrrhic Victory" in the Seven Years War, or as British America called it the "French and Indian War." It was a very costly war, that the British National debt nearly doubled. The prospect of keeping about ten thousand regular British soldiers positioned in the American colonies after the war assured that post-war costs and expenses would remain high. The primary objective for retaining such a huge force was simply to prevent from demobilizing it. Most of the officers had good connections everywhere in the Parliament, and they probably did all they could so they will not be out of work. This scenario may have supported the need to retain a peacetime force, but because the British were very reluctant with the idea of standing armies at home, they felt that it would be much better garrisoning them elsewhere.

A good number of the army stationed in North America would prove to be a good strategic move as Great Britain just acquired the vast territory that was New France during the 1763 treaty. Troops would naturally be needed to maintain total control of a new empire. Pontiac's Rebellion of May 1763, was an uprising staged by Native American Indians directed towards the continuing Anglo expansion, only reinforced the need for the strategic move. There were accounts that Pontiac's Rebellion forced the hand of Britain, which led to the decision of garrisoning troops in greater North America. This proved to be false as the decision was already made even before the uprising.

Politics

George Greenville, the newly proclaimed prime minister in April 1763 spearheaded the task of looking for ways to pay for large armies during peacetime. To raise the taxes in Britain herself was totally out of the question, as virulent protests of another tax called the 1763 cider tax whipped throughout the landscape, which had the previous Bute ministry hanging in the balance. The new Grenville ministry had to look elsewhere on distant shores for a solution; they saw that American colonists would be a good prospect, and so they went on with their plan.

Also, politicians in London had always argued that American colonists should do their part and contribute to the defense effort, since it was the colonist's defenses that were at stake. As long as the French continues to exist in America, the threat would always be there. This part especially, had given Parliament little trouble, as the colonial legislatures were quick to respond and provide assistance. However, the help or assistance given was in the form of raising colonial militias. This proved contradictory to the plan that British parliamentary had in mind. Things got worse as the colonial militias during the peace of 1763 were quickly abandoned. It created a stalemate that eventually led to other options, like the Stamp Act of 1765.

Resistance

This idea was met with great resistance throughout the colonies. Colonists justified their resentment mainly due to the absence of representation in the parliament and the effect that they did not have influence over the various taxes that were being raised and how they would be systematically levied and spent. Most colonists viewed this as a violation of their rights; Englishmen taxed without their consent. And if there indeed was, it was one that only colonial legislatures could ever grant.

Various assemblies setup by the colonies sent their petitions, which was followed by protests. Led by common colonial landowners and merchants, they found a great opportunity to establish connections primarily though correspondence. This created a loose coalition by colonies from New England to those from Georgia. New York City back then also held the Stamp Act Congress to voice their opposition, petition the parliament and the king. It became the first joint colonial response against British rule. Things heated up as demonstrations from the Sons of Liberty, a political group composed of American patriots, would get out of hand and become violent. This greatly intimidated stamp tax distributors; they resigned from their posts, which meant that this specific tax never materialized.
More opposition
The opposition was never limited to the colonies. Both British manufacturers and merchants pressured Parliament, citing that the valuable exports to the colonies were under constant pressure due to the various economic problems suffered by the colonies. Finally, on March 18, 1766 the act was repealed; but Parliament countered by affirming and strengthening its hold on the job to legislate for the colonies in every way by introducing the " Declaratory Act." This only made matters worse as colonists became increasingly concerned with the whole agenda of the British Parliament and the direction that things were going. This is among the factors that paved the way for the American Revolution.

Paving the Way

Some phases of the resistance against the act became the staging ground for another important resistance, this time against the Townshend Acts of 1767. And in the American Revolution that followed a decade later, committees that were formed from both sides to voice opposition were meeting on more formal grounds. The colonies also took part with a non-importation agreement known as the Continental Association in 1774. All in all, the ability of these colonies to get their act together for a common purpose, in this case the opposition to the Stamp Act 1765, paved the way for breaking free from British control.

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What was The Stamp Act of 1765? Summary & Facts About the Stamp Act

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Notice of Stamp Act in Newspaper Photo by: Wikipedia Creative Commons The Stamp Act of 1765 refers to the tax enforced by the Parliament of Great Britain on the colonies of then British America. The act called for printed materials within the colonies to be standardized using London-made stamp paper with embossed revenue stamps.

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A stamp act is a law that puts a tax on the transfer of some documents. Those that pay the tax get an official stamp on their documents. Many products have been covered by stamp acts such as playing cards, patent medicines, cheques, mortgages, contracts and newspapers. The items often have to be physically stamped at approved government offices following payment of the duty, although other methods with annual payment of a fixed sum or purchase of adhesive stamps are more practical and common. Stamp acts have been made common in many countries, like Australia, China, Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The money raised by the tax, called stamp duty, was first used in the Netherlands in 1624 after a public competition to find a new form of tax. However, it has more been used in Great Britain and its colonies.

The Stamp Act passed by the British Parliament on March 22, 1765 was upsetting to some American colonists. Colonists had to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used - ship's papers, legal documents, licences, newspapers and even playing cards were taxed. It was one of the causes of the American Revolutionary War.

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The Stamp Act was an attempt by Great Britain to reap more tax from the American colonies, but the colonists didn't like it too much.

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Your complete resource on the event. Pictures, documents, location, trial, participants, timeline and much more.

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Great video!

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Mr. Nussbaum History Boston Massacre Activities

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This comprehensive section contains numerous articles, online activities, and printables related to the Boston Massacre.

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Britain and France once fought over who’d dominate North America: Trade with Native Americans sparked this conflict, and a fellow called George Washington got involved!

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After your review of this timeline, we call your attention to the additional links located below this table detailing the decisive elements of this war.

Revolutionary War Timeline

Cause

Effect

British Parliament enacts Repressive Legislation and Actions

Unexpected Colonial rejections begin an unintended chain of events.

1763

Proclamation prohibiting colonial expansion to Appalachian Mountains boundary. Desired to keep settlements close to Atlantic coast to retain mercantile control. Secondarily, pleased Indian tribes.

Largely ignored by speculators and pioneers.

1764

Sugar Act intended to provide Britain with an import duty, and additionally limited overseas markets for colonial lumber.

Colonial resistance mainly limited to economic arguments, but signaled an appearance of Samuel Adams, a robust critic of Empire colonial policies.

Currency Act prohibited colonists to issue paper money and insisted they utilize British hard currency. The colonial currency system produced a devaluation of its currency which was onerous for British merchants forced to accept the paper money for goods shipped to the colonies.

Colonial merchants were at a disadvantage owing to short supply of gold and silver. The latter required by the Act for trading. Benjamin Franklin, in London, sought repeal of the law. Colonial Committees of Correspondence began circulating slogan, "no taxation without representation".

1765

Quartering Act was in response to the financial burden of maintaining a large contingency of troops in the colonies as a result of their earlier use in the French and Indian wars. Colonists were forced to pay soldiers upkeep and board.

The burden fell most heavily on the colonial cities which were home base for most of the British troops. In particular, New York City staged hostile demonstrations.

Minute Men Anti-Stamp Act Flag

Stamp Act required that almost all printed materials in the colonies bear an official stamp. This was a direct tax affecting all colonials payable to the Crown.

Many of the colonies local legislatures petitioned King George for repeal of the tax. The Sons of Liberty, a patriotic organization, were vehemently opposed citing the right of representation for all Englishmen.

1766

Repeal of Stamp Act and replaced with Declaratory Act affirming Parliament's right to tax the American colonists. Stamp Act deemed unenforceable as we march further along the Revolutionary War timeline.

Colonial entreaties for repeal were aided by Edmund Burke and William Pitt, members of Parliament.

Edmund Burke

William Pitt

1767

Townsend Acts were imposed on the American colonies for the purpose of enhancing revenues for the Crown and providing enforcement mechanisms for all of its taxing programs. Resistance in the colonies resulted in garrisoning British forces in Boston. Ultimately repealed in 1770 except for duty on tea.

The five provisions of the Act met with demonstrations by angry mobs, boycott of British products.

1770

Boston Massacre followed on the heels of the death of a young boy killed by a British official.

Angry Boston mobs needed little incentive to harass British soldiers. A mob surrounded a British sentry. Subsequently, he was reinforced and allegedly the troops were subjected to stone throwing by colonists. British fired into the crowd killing several including a runaway slave, Crispus Attucks. This act was so indelible in the Revolutionary War timeline that his name will again surface to be memorialized by abolitionists in the civil war. Eight British soldiers were tried and successfully, and surprisingly, defended by John Adams.

1773

Revolutionary War timeline continues w/ the Tea Act. Some duties were reduced but monopoly to sell to colonies bestowed on East India Company.

Tea shipment destroyed by colonists boarding British vessel wearing Indian disguise.

1774

Intolerable Act restructured Massachusetts government; restricted town meetings.

Boycott of British products.First Continental Congress convenes.

Boston Harbor closed.

Talk of independence surfaces.

1775

Don Troiani

British General Gage marches his troops from Boston to nearby Lexington intent on destroying colonial guns and munitions. Then march to Concord.

Patriot forces forewarned move most of military equipment to safety. Superior in number, British troops defeat colonials at Lexington, but suffer defeat in Concord. Battle of Lexington signals the opening shot of the American revolutionary war leading to replacement of Gage with General Howe.

British in Boston seek high ground held by Americans near Bunker Hill.

Americans engaged in battle show mettle in loss. No longer a colonial rebellion, but two nations in a defacto war.

Responding to military pressure and further British coercive legislation resulting in embargo on American goods, American reaction is swift. Another nail in the causes detailed in the Revolutionary War timeline

Americans see the handwriting on the wall, and Second Continental Congress confirms George Washington as commanding general of 14,000 soldiers.He is dispatched to Boston, and leads successful siege against British who abandon the city and retreat by sea.

1776

Congress confirms Thomas Jefferson's masterwork, the Declaration of independence on July 4, 1776.

The Revolutionary War is now between two nations - no longer a rebellion of colonies.

Source: Troiani,Don. www.historicalimagebank
Library of Congress
National Archives

Axelrod, Alan. The Real History of the American Revolution: A New Look at the Past 2009

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After your review of this timeline, we call your attention to the additional links located below this table detailing the decisive elements of this war. Revolutionary War Timeline Cause Effect British Parliament enacts Repressive Legislation and Actions Unexpected Colonial rejections begin an unintended chain of events.

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Although struggles for supremacy had been going on for many decades between France and England in the New World, hostilities intensified in the early 1750's as both English and French settlers had attempted to colonize land in the Ohio River Valley, near present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The English settlers, who had moved northwest from Virginia, and French settlers, who had moved east from the Great Lakes, or south from Canada, each thought they owned the rights to the land. In 1754, English forces under George Washington had begun their march to Fort Duquesne for the purposes of ousting the French from the region by force. On the way, they encountered a French scouting party near present-day Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Washington's men massacred the party in what came to be known as The Battle of Jumonville Glen. Washington soon took camp at Great Meadows, a large natural clearing, and ordered the construction of Fort Necessity in anticipation of a French response. The French did respond, as 600 soldiers forced Washington to surrender the fort. The French and Indian War had begun.

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Although struggles for supremacy had been going on for many decades between France and England in the New World, hostilities intensified in the early 1750's as both English and French settlers had attempted to colonize land in the Ohio River Valley, near present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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The French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War, began in the Spring in 1754. The dispute arose over the presence of British and French settlers in the Ohio River Valley (in and around present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), but resulted in battles that were fought far from there. Both the French and English wanted exclusive rights to the area because of its economic potential and plethora of fur-bearing wildlife. Despite attempts in Europe to solve the territory battle diplomatically, no compromise could be made. French settlers began building forts along the Ohio River to protect the land from the British. Meanwhile, Robert Dinwiddie, lieutenant governor of Virginia (British), had begun issuing land-grants in the region for members of his colony. French and British military forces were both authorized by their respective governments to take the necessary measures to remove the other.

Upon hearing news of the French forts, Dinwiddie sent 21 year-old George Washington to deliver a British ultimatum to French colonists. The French refused to leave and built a fort at the source of the Ohio River which they named Fort Duquesne. The following May, Washington, now promoted to lieutenant colonel, returned to the area with 160 armed Virginians. Washington then ambushed a French reconnaissance party at what came to be known as The Battle of Jumonville Glen. In preparation for a French counterattack, Washington ordered the construction of a makeshift stockade which he named Fort Necessity, south of present day Pittsburgh. Less than a month later, the French ambushed the fort, which resulted in Washington's surrender, and the capture of Fort Necessity. The French promptly burned the fort to the ground and gained control of the region.

For two years, the French controlled the region. When British Commander Edward Braddock and forces attacked Fort Duquesne in 1755, his army was routed and he was killed. While the French successfully defended their interests in the Ohio Valley, they were losing the battles elsewhere in North America especially in points along the shores of Lake Ontario.

In 1756, British Prime Minister William Pitt devised a comprehensive military plan to defeat the French, not only in the Ohio River Valley and North America, but in other regions of contention such as India, Africa, and the oceans. Pitt committed large numbers of troops to North America who had permission to garner supplies at will from civilians. Citizens were also forced to serve in the military. While his tactics were successful in driving back the French, he was forced to relent when a 1757 uprising concerning his laws nearly tore New York City apart. Nevertheless, the British had the upper hand in North America. In 1758, they captured Lake Ontario and Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. The capture of Fort Frontenac on Lake Ontario effectively severed communications between the French headquarters in Montreal and their forces in the Ohio Valley. Louisbourg gave the British control of the Bay of St. Lawrence. That same year, British forces teamed up with local Indians to take Fort Duquesne from the French. It was renamed Fort Pitt.

The turning point in the war occurred on September 13, 1759, when British General James Wolfe defeated French forces at Quebec in a siege that lasted almost two months. Montreal and Detroit, the other two French strongholds would fall soon after. In 1760, the battered French Army surrendered at Montreal. The entire nation of Canada was relinquished to the British. As part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris, The French lost not only Canada but also all lands in America east of the Mississippi River.

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The French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War, began in the Spring in 1754. The dispute arose over the presence of British and French settlers in the Ohio River Valley (in and around present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), but resulted in battles that were fought far from there.

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American Revolution: The Continental Congress

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Kids learn about The Continental Congress meetings; major events in the American Revolutionary War.

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Why Did the Boston Tea Party Happen?

In the 1760s, Britain was deep in debt, so British Parliament imposed a series of taxes on American colonists to help pay those debts.

The Stamp Act of 1765 taxed colonists on virtually every piece of printed paper they used, from playing cards and business licenses to newspapers and legal documents. The Townshend Acts of 1767 went a step further, taxing essentials such as paint, paper, glass, lead and tea.

The British government felt the taxes were fair since much of its debt was earned fighting wars on the colonists' behalf. The colonists, however, disagreed. They were furious at being taxed without having any representation in Parliament, and felt it was wrong for Britain to impose taxes on them to gain revenue.

Boston Massacre Enrages Colonists

On March 5, 1770, a street brawl happened in Boston between American colonists and British soldiers.

Later known as the Boston Massacre, the fight began after an unruly group of colonists-frustrated with the presence of British soldiers in their streets- flung snowballs, ice and oyster shells at a British sentinel guarding the Boston Customs House.

Reinforcements arrived and opened fire on the mob, killing five colonists and wounding six. The Boston Massacre and its fallout further incited the colonists' rage towards Britain.

Tea Act Imposed

Britain eventually repealed the taxes it had imposed on the colonists except the tea tax. It wasn't about to give up tax revenue on the nearly 1.2 million pounds of tea the colonists drank each year.

In protest, the colonists boycotted tea sold by British East India Company and smuggled in Dutch tea, leaving British East India Company with millions of pounds of surplus tea and facing bankruptcy.

In May 1773, British Parliament passed the Tea Act which allowed British East India Company to sell tea to the colonies duty-free and much cheaper than other tea companies-but still tax the tea when it reached colonial ports.

Tea smuggling in the colonies increased, although the cost of the smuggled tea soon surpassed that of tea from British East India Company with the added tea tax.

Still, with the help of prominent tea smugglers such as John Hancock and Samuel Adams -who protested taxation without representation but also wanted to protect their tea smuggling operations-colonists continued to rail against the tea tax and Britain's control over their interests.

Sons of Liberty

The Sons of Liberty were a group of colonial merchants and tradesmen founded to protest the Stamp Act and other forms of taxation. The group of revolutionists included prominent patriots such as Benedict Arnold, Patrick Henry and Paul Revere, as well as Adams and Hancock.

Led by Adams, the Sons of Liberty held meetings rallying against British Parliament and protested the Griffin's Wharf arrival of Dartmouth, a British East India Company ship carrying tea. By December 16, 1773, Dartmouth had been joined by her sister ships, Beaver and Eleanor; all three ships loaded with tea from China.

That morning, as thousands of colonists convened at the wharf and its surrounding streets, a meeting was held at the Old South Meeting House where a large group of colonists voted to refuse to pay taxes on the tea or allow the tea to be unloaded, stored, sold or used. (Ironically, the ships were built in America and owned by Americans.)

Governor Thomas Hutchison refused to allow the ships to return to Britain and ordered the tea tariff be paid and the tea unloaded. The colonists refused, and Hutchison never offered a satisfactory compromise.

Facts: What Happened at the Boston Tea Party

That night, a large group of men-many reportedly members of the Sons of Liberty- disguised themselves in Native American garb, boarded the docked ships and threw 342 chests of tea into the water.

Said participant George Hewes, "We then were ordered by our commander to open the hatches and take out all the chests of tea and throw them overboard, and we immediately proceeded to execute his orders, first cutting and splitting the chests with our tomahawks, so as thoroughly to expose them to the effects of the water."

Hewes also noted that "We were surrounded by British armed ships, but no attempt was made to resist us."

Did you know? It took nearly three hours for more than 100 colonists to empty the tea into Boston Harbor. The chests held more than 90,000 lbs. (45 tons) of tea, which would cost nearly $1,000,000 dollars today.

Boston Tea Party Aftermath

While some important colonist leaders such as John Adams were thrilled to learn Boston Harbor was covered in tea leaves, others were not.

In June of 1774, George Washington wrote: "the cause of Boston...ever will be considered as the cause of America." But his personal views of the event were far different. He voiced strong disapproval of "their conduct in destroying the Tea" and claimed Bostonians "were mad." Washington, like many other elites, held private property to be sacrosanct.

Benjamin Franklin insisted the British East India Company be reimbursed for the lost tea and even offered to pay for it himself.

No one was hurt, and aside from the destruction of the tea and a padlock, no property was damaged or looted during the Boston Tea Party. The participants reportedly swept the ships' decks clean before they left.

Who Organized the Boston Tea Party?

Though led by Samuel Adams and his Sons of Liberty and organized by John Hancock, the names of many of those involved in the Boston Tea Party remain unknown. Thanks to their Native American costumes, only one of the tea party culprits, Francis Akeley, was arrested and imprisoned.

Even after American independence, participants refused to reveal their identities, fearing they could still face civil and criminal charges as well as condemnation from elites for the destruction of private property. Most participants in the Boston Tea Party were under the age of 40 and 16 of them were teenagers.

Coercive Acts

But despite the lack of violence, the Boston Tea Party didn't go unanswered by King George III and British Parliament.

In retribution, they passed the Coercive Acts (later known as the Intolerable Acts) which:

Closed Boston Harbor until the tea lost in the Boston Tea Party was paid for

Ended the Massachusetts Constitution and ended free elections of town officials

Moved judicial authority to Britain and British judges, basically creating martial law in Massachusetts

Required colonists to quarter British troops on demand

Extended freedom of worship to French-Canadian Catholics under British rule, which angered the mostly Protestant colonists

Britain hoped the Coercive Acts would squelch rebellion in New England and keep the remaining colonies from uniting, but the opposite happened: All the colonies viewed the punitive laws as further evidence of Britain's tyranny and rallied to Massachusetts' aid, sending supplies and plotting further resistance.

Second Boston Tea Party

A second Boston Tea Party took place in March 1774, when around 60 Bostonians boarded the ship Fortune and dumped nearly 30 chests of tea into the harbor.

The event didn't earn nearly as much notoriety as the first Boston Tea Party, but it did encourage other tea-dumping demonstrations in Maryland, New York and South Carolina.

First Continental Congress Is Convened

Many colonists felt Britain's Coercive Acts went too far. On September 5, 1774, elected delegates from all 13 American colonies except Georgia met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia for the First Continental Congress to figure out how to resist British oppression.

The delegates were divided on how to move forward but the Boston Tea Party had united them in their fervor to gain independence. By the time they adjourned in October 1774, they'd written The Declaration and Resolves which:

Censured Britain for passing the Coercive Acts and called for their repeal

Established a boycott of British goods

Declared the colonies had the right to govern independently

Rallied colonists to form and train a colonial militia

Britain didn't capitulate and within months, the " shot heard round the world," rang out in Concord, Massachusetts, sparking the start of the American Revolutionary War.

Sources

A Tea Party Timeline: 1773-1775. Old South Meeting House.
The Boston Tea Party. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
The Boston Tea Party. Massachusetts Historical Society.
The Boston Tea Party, 1773. EyewitnesstoHistory.com.
The Intolerable Acts. U.S.History.org.

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Boston Tea Party - Definition, Dates & Facts | HISTORY

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The Boston Tea Party was a political protest staged on December 16, 1773 at Griffin's Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. American colonists, frustrated at Britain for imposing "taxation without representation," dumped 342 chests of British tea into the harbor. The event was the first major act of defiance to British rule over the colonists.

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The First Continental Congress consisted of 55 delegates selected from twelve of the thirteen colonies. Georgia did not take part in this illegal assembly because they were fighting a mini-war against the Native Americans and were leaning upon British support for help.

This first assembly was from September 5th to October 26th of 1774. This took place just after the Intolerable Acts were issued as a response to the Boston Tea Party.

Purpose of the Congress

The congress convened to discuss their different options concerning British offences. Out of this came ...

The "Suffolk Resolves" were approved. These were political statements from Boston and other Suffolk County towns, mainly declaring the Coercive Acts void and urging Massachussets to form its own government.

The creation of the Continental Association, which established an oversight committee in each town to enforce a complete boycott of British goods until Parliament repealed the Coercive Acts and other legislation.

A published version of American rights

A petition to the king listing American complaints and asking him to reconsider the wrongs he had perpetrated upon them.

The president of this congress was not John Hancock, as you may have guessed, but was Payton Randolph. He was president from September 5th through October 21st. At this point the position was taken over by Henry Middleton, who served as president the last five days of that session.

They appointed Charles Thomas as the secretary of the congress as well.

John Hancock was appointed president the following year when the Second Continental Congress convened after the king ignoring their petition, which did not come as a surprise to them.

Second Continental Congress

United States Constitution

Return to Causes of the American Revolution

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The First Continental Congress consisted of 55 delegates selected from twelve of the thirteen colonies. Georgia did not take part in this illegal assembly because they were fighting a mini-war against the Native Americans and were leaning upon British support for help. This first assembly was from September 5th to October 26th of 1774.

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George Washington's Early Years

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, at his family's plantation on Pope's Creek in Westmoreland County, in the British colony of Virginia, to Augustine Washington (1694-1743) and his second wife, Mary Ball Washington (1708-89). George, the eldest of Augustine and Mary Washington's six children, spent much of his childhood at Ferry Farm, a plantation near Fredericksburg, Virginia. After Washington's father died when he was 11, it's likely he helped his mother manage the plantation.

Did you know? At the time of his death in 1799, George Washington owned some 300 enslaved people. However, before his passing, he had become opposed to slavery, and in his will, he ordered that his enslaved workers be freed after his wife's death.

Few details about Washington's early education are known, although children of prosperous families like his typically were taught at home by private tutors or attended private schools. It's believed he finished his formal schooling at around age 15.

As a teenager, Washington, who had shown an aptitude for mathematics, became a successful surveyor. His surveying expeditions into the Virginia wilderness earned him enough money to begin acquiring land of his own.

In 1751, Washington made his only trip outside of America, when he traveled to Barbados with his older half-brother Lawrence Washington (1718-52), who was suffering from tuberculosis and hoped the warm climate would help him recuperate. Shortly after their arrival, George contracted smallpox. He survived, although the illness left him with permanent facial scars. In 1752, Lawrence, who had been educated in England and served as Washington's mentor, died. Washington eventually inherited Lawrence's estate, Mount Vernon, on the Potomac River near Alexandria, Virginia.

An Officer and Gentleman Farmer

In December 1752, Washington, who had no previous military experience, was made a commander of the Virginia militia. He saw action in the French and Indian War and was eventually put in charge of all of Virginia's militia forces. By 1759, Washington had resigned his commission, returned to Mount Vernon and was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, where he served until 1774. In January 1759, he married Martha Dandridge Custis (1731-1802), a wealthy widow with two children. Washington became a devoted stepfather to her children; he and Martha Washington never had any offspring of their own.

In the ensuing years, Washington expanded Mount Vernon from 2,000 acres into an 8,000-acre property with five farms. He grew a variety of crops, including wheat and corn, bred mules and maintained fruit orchards and a successful fishery. He was deeply interested in farming and continually experimented with new crops and methods of land conservation.

George Washington During the American Revolution

Washington proved to be a better general than military strategist. His strength lay not in his genius on the battlefield but in his ability to keep the struggling colonial army together. His troops were poorly trained and lacked food, ammunition and other supplies (soldiers sometimes even went without shoes in winter). However, Washington was able to give them direction and motivation. His leadership during the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge was a testament to his power to inspire his men to keep going.

By the late 1760s, Washington had experienced firsthand the effects of rising taxes imposed on American colonists by the British and came to believe that it was in the best interests of the colonists to declare independence from England. Washington served as a delegate to the First Continental Congress in 1774 in Philadelphia. By the time the Second Continental Congress convened a year later, the American Revolution had begun in earnest, and Washington was named commander in chief of the Continental Army.

Over the course of the grueling eight-year war, the colonial forces won few battles but consistently held their own against the British. In October 1781, with the aid of the French (who allied themselves with the colonists over their rivals the British), the Continental forces were able to capture British troops under General Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805) in the Battle of Yorktown. This action effectively ended the Revolutionary War and Washington was declared a national hero.

America's First President

In 1783, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris between Great Britain and the U.S., Washington, believing he had done his duty, gave up his command of the army and returned to Mount Vernon, intent on resuming his life as a gentleman farmer and family man. However, in 1787, he was asked to attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and head the committee to draft the new constitution. His impressive leadership there convinced the delegates that he was by far the most qualified man to become the nation's first president.

At first, Washington balked. He wanted to, at last, return to a quiet life at home and leave governing the new nation to others. But public opinion was so strong that eventually he gave in. The first presidential election was held on January 7, 1789, and Washington won handily. John Adams (1735-1826), who received the second-largest number of votes, became the nation's first vice president. The 57-year-old Washington was inaugurated on April 30, 1789, in New York City. Because Washington, D.C., America's future capital city wasn't yet built, he lived in New York and Philadelphia. While in office, he signed a bill establishing a future, permanent U.S. capital along the Potomac River-the city later named Washington, D.C., in his honor.

George Washington's Accomplishments

The United States was a small nation when Washington took office, consisting of 11 states and approximately 4 million people, and there was no precedent for how the new president should conduct domestic or foreign business. Mindful that his actions would likely determine how future presidents were expected to govern, Washington worked hard to set an example of fairness, prudence and integrity. In foreign matters, he supported cordial relations with other countries but also favored a position of neutrality in foreign conflicts. Domestically, he nominated the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Jay (1745-1829), signed a bill establishing the first national bank, the Bank of the United States, and set up his own presidential cabinet.

His two most prominent cabinet appointees were Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) and Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), two men who disagreed strongly on the role of the federal government. Hamilton favored a strong central government and was part of the Federalist Party, while Jefferson favored stronger states' rights as part of the Democratic-Republican Party, the forerunner to the Democratic Party. Washington believed that divergent views were critical for the health of the new government, but he was distressed at what he saw as an emerging partisanship.

George Washington's presidency was marked by a series of firsts. He signed the first United States copyright law, protecting the copyrights of authors. He also signed the first Thanksgiving proclamation, making November 26 a national day of Thanksgiving for the end of the war for American independence and the successful ratification of the Constitution.

During Washington's presidency, Congress passed the first federal revenue law, a tax on distilled spirits. In July 1794, farmers in Western Pennsylvania rebelled over the so-called "whiskey tax." Washington called in over 12,000 militiamen to Pennsylvania to dissolve the Whiskey Rebellion in one of the first major tests of the authority of the national government.

Under Washington's leadership, the states ratified the Bill of Rights, and five new states entered the union: North Carolina (1789), Rhode Island (1790), Vermont (1791), Kentucky (1792) and Tennessee (1796).

In his second term, Washington issued the proclamation of neutrality to avoid entering the 1793 war between Great Britain and France. But when French minister to the United States Edmond Charles Genet-known to history as "Citizen Genet"-toured the United States, he boldly flaunted the proclamation, attempting to set up American ports as French military bases and gain support for his cause in the Western United States. His meddling caused a stir between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, widening the rift between parties and making consensus-building more difficult.

In 1795, Washington signed the "Treaty of Amity Commerce and Navigation, between His Britannic Majesty; and The United States of America," or Jay's Treaty, so-named for John Jay, who had negotiated it with the government of King George III. It helped the U.S. avoid war with Great Britain, but also rankled certain members of Congress back home and was fiercely opposed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Internationally, it caused a stir among the French, who believed it violated previous treaties between the United States and France.

Washington's administration signed two other influential international treaties. Pinckney's Treaty of 1795, also known as the Treaty of San Lorenzo, established friendly relations between the United States and Spain, firming up borders between the U.S. and Spanish territories in North America and opening up the Mississippi to American traders. The Treaty of Tripoli, signed the following year, gave American ships access to Mediterranean shipping lanes in exchange for a yearly tribute to the Pasha of Tripoli.

George Washington's Retirement to Mount Vernon and Death

In 1796, after two terms as president and declining to serve a third term, Washington finally retired. In Washington's farewell address, he urged the new nation to maintain the highest standards domestically and to keep involvement with foreign powers to a minimum. The address is still read each February in the U.S. Senate to commemorate Washington's birthday.

Washington returned to Mount Vernon and devoted his attentions to making the plantation as productive as it had been before he became president. More than four decades of public service had aged him, but he was still a commanding figure. In December 1799, he caught a cold after inspecting his properties in the rain. The cold developed into a throat infection and Washington died on the night of December 14, 1799, at the age of 67. He was entombed at Mount Vernon, which in 1960 was designated a national historic landmark.

Washington left one of the most enduring legacies of any American in history. Known as the "Father of His Country," his face appears on the U.S. dollar bill and quarter, and dozens of U.S. schools, towns and counties, as well as the state of Washington and the nation's capital city, are named for him.

George Washington: An Interactive Timeline of His Life

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George Washington: Facts, Revolution & Presidency

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George Washington (1732-99) was commander in chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-83) and served two terms as the first U.S. president, from 1789 to 1797.

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December 17, 1773 to April 19, 1775: "The Aftermath"

Many of the Boston Tea Party participants fled Boston immediately after the destruction of the tea to avoid arrest. George Hewes remembered, " We then quietly retired to our several places of residence, without having any conversation with each other, or taking any measures to discover who were our associates... There appeared to be an understanding that each individual should volunteer his services, keep his own secret, and risk the consequence for himself. No disorder took place during that transaction, and it was observed at that time that the stillest night ensued that Boston had enjoyed for many months." Only one member of the Sons of Liberty, Francis Akeley, was caught and imprisoned for his participation. He was the only person ever to be arrested for the Boston Tea Party. No one died during the Boston Tea Party. There was no violence and no confrontation between the Patriots, the Tories and the British soldiers garrisoned in Boston. None of the members of the crews of the , , or were harmed. This was the first organized act of rebellion against British rule and the Sons of Liberty were very careful about how the Boston Tea Party was planned and executed.

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Many of the Boston Tea Party participants fled Boston immediately after the destruction of the tea to avoid arrest. George Hewes remembered, " We then quietly retired to our several places of residence, without having any conversation with each other, or taking any measures to discover who were our associates...

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American Revolution: The Continental Congress

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Kids learn about The Continental Congress meetings; major events in the American Revolutionary War.

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The American Revolutionary War: A Timeline of Major Events

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A TIMELINE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR Events leading up to the War Patrick Henry 's "If This Be Treason" speech (5/29/1765) Battle of Bunker Hill (fought on Breed's Hill) (6/17) Montgomery captures Montreal for Americans (11/13) Patriot triumph at Moore's Creek, NC (2/27) Continental fleet captures New Providence Island in

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Despite the repeal of the Stamp Act, Parliament still needed to recover the money required to finance the French and Indian War. Tension between the British and Americans grew even more intense when Parliament passed the 1767 Townshend Act. The Townshend Act authorized Parliament to issue a new set of taxes on in demand imports such as glass, lead, paint, paper and tea. Parliament also reduced the number of British troops in America, but shifted the financial burden of accommodating the soldiers to the colonies.

The Massachusetts General Court once again led opposition by promoting the nonimportation of British goods (boycott). Royal officials in America became enraged and ordered the Massachusetts General Court dissolved. The Royal Governor of Massachusetts, Francis Bernard, sent secret messages to Parliament to send troops to Boston from Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1768, two regiments of General Thomas Gage's infantry were sent to Boston to restore order. 600 soldiers began patrolling the streets of Boston. Colonial militia groups united and an uprising seemed likely. Although nothing happened immediately, colonists continued to boycott British goods and British soldiers continued patrolling the streets of Boston.

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Despite the repeal of the Stamp Act, Parliament still needed to recover the money required to finance the French and Indian War. Tension between the British and Americans grew even more intense when Parliament passed the 1767 Townshend Act.

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This page describes the formation of the First Continental Congress.

First Continental Congress

What are we Going to do About it?

In response to the Intolerable Acts, America's first Continental Congress met on September 5, 1774. 56 delegates from 12 colonies met at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia to discuss a unified position and Parliament's assertion that it could control the colonies. Georgia was the only colony that refused to send a delegate.

Grievances Againt Parliament

As part of the convention, John Adams drafted the Declaration of Rights which countered that America need not respect decisions by Parliament that involved domestic affairs within America. Furthermore, the delegates agreed to resume the boycott on British goods until the Intolerable Acts were repealed. During the two-month long convention, delegates also agreed that if the new royal governor of Massachusetts attempted to rule by force, the residents had a right to defend themselves, and that colonists from throughout America would come to their aid. The congress agreed to meet again in May of 1775.

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Causes of the Revolutionary War - First Continental Congress

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This page describes the formation of the First Continental Congress. In response to the Intolerable Acts, America's first Continental Congress met on September 5, 1774. 56 delegates from 12 colonies met at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia to discuss a unified position and Parliament's assertion that it could control the colonies.

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Samuel Adams was a Boston-born political leader who played a vital role in moving colonial America to its decisive break with Britain during the American Revolution. The second cousin of President John Adams, Sam Adams helped organize opposition to British taxation, including the Boston Tea Party. In his home state of Massachusetts, Adams held a number of political offices, and served as governor from 1793 to 1797.

Who Was Samuel Adams?

Samuel Adams was born September 27, 1722, the son of Boston merchant and brewer Samuel Adams Sr. and his wife Mary. The Adams family were devout Puritans, and Adams Sr. was a deacon in the Congregational Church.

His parents hoped that the younger Samuel would pursue a life in the church, but it was his father's other role, as a rising influential local politician, that caught Sam's attention.

He attended Boston Latin School, then Harvard University, where he received both bachelor's and master's degrees. While at Harvard, he wrote a thesis - controversial for its time - that questioned the rights of the British government and supported the right of colonists to resist laws they deemed harmful to their interests.

Adams' thesis stated that it is "lawful to resist the Supreme Magistrate, if the Commonwealth cannot be otherwise preserved."

Boston Revolutionaries

Adams worked in a variety of jobs after graduating, including stints at a bank and his family's malthouse. He and several friends founded a local newspaper in 1748, which featured Adams' political essays.

He married the following year, to Elizabeth Checkley. The couple had six children, but only two lived to adulthood. Following Elizabeth's death in 1757, Adams remarried. He and his second wife, Elizabeth Wells, had no children.

Rising through the ranks of local Boston politics, in 1756, Adams was elected as a tax collector. However, his failure and refusal to collect taxes from some of his fellow citizens left him liable for the due payments. Friends eventually helped him pay off some of the debts.

The incident did little to dampen Adams' popularity with the people, however. Already, he was showing the strong sense of character that drew people to both him and his ideas.

Adams' politics were deeply influenced by the work of Enlightenment philosopher John Locke. Adams was also inspired by fellow Bostonian James Otis, a lawyer and activist who championed colonial rights and became famous for his belief that "taxation without representation is tyranny."

Years before many of their fellow Revolutionaries, Adams, Otis and others from Massachusetts were openly challenging British control. "We cannot make events," Adams stated. "Our business is wisely to improve them."

Protesting British Tax Policies

Just as Adams was emerging as a powerful and persuasive critic, the British passed a series of laws that he used to his advantage.

The 1764 Sugar Act was an attempt to protect the British trade in sugar and molasses by curtailing illegal importation, which affected the revenue that was needed to pay for the French and Indian War.

The Sugar Act only impacted a few colonies, but Massachusetts was one of them. Adams brought heightened attention to the act by leading local opposition to it.

Stamp Act

The following year, the Stamp Act was passed. This was a more direct tax that impacted the everyday life of nearly every colonist, slapping a levy on everything from newspapers and legal documents to playing cards and school diplomas.

The Stamp Act was deeply unpopular across the colonies. In Virginia, it inspired the legendary "Give me liberty, or give me death" speech by Patrick Henry.

Adams and other Boston-based patriots, including a radical, secretive group known as the Loyal Nine - a precursor to the Sons of Liberty - organized direct action, leading to the Stamp Act Riots. The British Parliament repealed the act the following year.

During this period, Adams was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he worked alongside John Hancock and others. In 1767, Britain passed the Townshend Acts, a series of measures that taxed imported goods.

Adams again led the opposition, working on a direct appeal to King George III, which became known as the Massachusetts Circular Letter, and calling for the removal of the Massachusetts colonial governor.

With unrest in Boston growing, including physical attacks on tax collectors, British troops were sent to the city to quell dissent. Adams once again used this to his advantage, publicizing any misdeeds by the new occupying troops, including the notorious Boston Massacre of 1770.

Boston Tea Party

In the fall of 1772, Adams, Otis and Dr. Joseph Warren were among those who created a new Committee of Correspondence. The group was designed to foster communication between patriots throughout Massachusetts.

The idea quickly spread, and within months similar committees were established throughout the 13 colonies, uniting colonial resistance leaders for the first time.

While Adams himself did not participate in the legendary Boston Tea Party, he likely was one of the driving forces behind it. Following the repeal of the Townshend Acts, Britain announced plans for a new tax. Like the Sugar Act, the new Tea Act aimed to raise revenue and prevent the smuggling of non-English tea into the colonies.

But on the night of December 16, 1773, members of the Sons of Liberty boarded the ships, tossing the tea overboard.

Moving Towards Revolution

In response to the Boston Tea Party, Britain passed the Intolerable Acts, which closed the port of Boston and required all colonists to provide accommodation for British troops. Once again, Adams led the opposition in Massachusetts.

In the fall of 1774, Samuel Adams was one of four Massachusetts representatives to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Adams called for independence, and the Congress agreed to boycott British goods until the repeal of the Intolerable Acts.

Adams' agitation made him a marked man. Back in Massachusetts where he was serving in the House of Representatives and beginning to arm a military, Adams and Hancock fled from Boston to the safety of nearby Concord. It's believed that the first shots of the American revolution, fired at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, may have been part of a British effort to find the two patriots.

Adams returned to the Continental Congress, where he and cousin John continued to call for independence. Both signed the Declaration of Independence, issued in July 1776.

Samuel Adams' Later Life

During the American Revolution, Adams helped draft the Articles of Confederation, which reflected his fears of a centrally controlled federal government. He returned to Boston and helped pass the Massachusetts constitution.

Despite his misgivings, he eventually supported Massachusetts' ratification of the U.S. Constitution. As Americans began to divide themselves along party lines, Adams aligned himself with the Whig Party, instead of the Federalist Party led by John Adams.

He was elected lieutenant governor, under John Hancock, in 1789, and became governor in 1793. He retired due to ill health in 1797, and died on October 2, 1803, aged 81.

Sources

Samuel Adams: The American Revolution, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Samuel Adams: Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum.

Samuel Adams: Samuel Adams Heritage Society.

The Reader's Companion to American History. Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, Editors.

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Samuel Adams was a Boston-born political leader who played a vital role in moving colonial America to its decisive break with Britain during the American Revolution. The second cousin of President John Adams, Sam Adams helped organize opposition to British taxation, including the Boston Tea Party.

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Although the colonists were angry with the British for increased taxes and interference, most still felt some loyalty to the Crown. Originally, many Americans wanted to remain part of the British Empire, with more freedom. That view changed quickly when they realized King George wasn't interested in compromise.
Fun Facts

The British began to worry about the colonists' strength and stockpile of weapons.

In April, 1775, General Gage sent 700 redcoats from Boston to Concord, Massachusetts to seize weapons and arrest Patriot leaders, such as Samuel Adams and John Hanco-ck.

Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode on horseback from Boston to Concord to warn the Patriots that the "British were coming."

At dawn on April 19, 1775, church bells rang as an alarm that British troops had arrived. Minutemen arrived, prepared for battle. The British fired on the Minutemen, killing eight Americans at Lexington.

The British marched on to Concord, where Minutemen fought them fiercely and drove them back.

The British retreated, with the Minutemen shooting at them all the way back to Boston. 273 British and 95 Americans died. The Revolutionary War had begun.

The Second Continental Congress sent a document called the Olive Branch Petition to Parliament. This document detailed the things Americans were unhappy about and asked for a solution. King George responded by sending 20,000 troops to America. He said that the rebels must be put to death.

Vocabulary
1. Compromise: an agreement in which all sides get something they want

2. Stockpile: a large collection of gathered materials, usually reserved for emergency use

3. Minutemen: Americans who had been trained and prepared to be ready in a minute to fight
Questions and Answers
Question: Did Paul Revere really make a midnight ride?

Answer: On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere did ride from Boston to warn the Patriots in Lexington and Concord. He and William Dawes were captured by British officers before they arrived. A young doctor, Samuel Prescott, actually rode all the way to Concord to deliver the message. The incident was mostly forgotten until American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, wrote the poem, "Paul Revere's Ride" 80 years later.
Learn More
Visit NPR to hear Paul Revere's Ride read by historian, Jayne Triber.

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Although the colonists were angry with the British for increased taxes and interference, most still felt some loyalty to the Crown. Originally, many Americans wanted to remain part of the British Empire, with more freedom. That view changed quickly when they realized King George wasn't interested in compromise.

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After the French and Indian War, relationships between the colonists and the British government quickly soured. In Boston, men hanged an effigy of stamp official Andrew Oliver to a tree. When the Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson ordered its removal, an angry mob destroyed the tax office and even the lieutenant governor's house. Soon, events escalated to a revolution.
Fun Facts

On March 5, 1770, colonists in Boston threw snowballs and rocks at British soldiers.

The soldiers fired. Some accounts claim they fired on purpose; others say that the first shot was a mistake. Regardless, five Bostonians were killed. Governor Thomas Hutchinson ordered the soldiers arrested.

After the Boston Massacre, a group known as the Sons of Liberty formed more than 80 chapters in towns in Massachusetts.

Samuel Adams, often called the "Firebrand of the American Revolution" called for Committees of Correspondence, which met and wrote to each other about news and ideas. This committee helped unify the colonists in their desire for freedom.

In 1773, the British passed the Tea Act, which stated that the colonists could only buy tea from the East Indian Company. Parliament's plan was to help the tea company while selling cheap tea to Americans. The colonists believed the British were once again interfering where they had no business.

On December 16, at least 5,000 Bostonians met at Old South Church to protest the Tea Act. Dressed as Indians, they went to the tea ships lying in the Boston Harbor and threw 45 tons (more than 80,000 pounds) of tea in the sea.

In retaliation, the British passed the Coercive Acts. Colonists called it the Intolerable Acts. Soldiers blocked trade in and out of Boston. They closed the port until the colonists paid for the tea and banned all town meetings. They took control of the government, making General Thomas Gage the governor.

Vocabulary
1. Effigy: a straw doll or dummy

2. Escalate: rise or increase

3. Interfere: become involved
Questions and Answers
Question: What happened after the Boston Tea Party?

Answer: The British put the hammer down on the colonists, hoping to subdue them. Their plan backfired. Previously, wealthy colonies, such as Virginia, had been loyal to the crown. The Boston Tea Party united the colonies. In September, 1774, a group of 55 delegates met in Philadelphia for the First Continental Congress. They made united plans to respond to Great Britain's tyranny.
Learn More
Visit PBS to learn more about the Boston Tea Party.

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After the French and Indian War, relationships between the colonists and the British government quickly soured. In Boston, men hanged an effigy of stamp official Andrew Oliver to a tree. When the Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson ordered its removal, an angry mob destroyed the tax office and even the lieutenant governor's house.

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The Intolerable Acts were a series of laws issued by King George III in response to the colonies' Boston Tea Party.

The king began taxing products from the colonies, and they were not happy about this. They began to rebel in various ways, the most notable of which was the Boston Tea Party. Finally, the King became fed up with their behavior and issued the four "Coercive Acts."

An additional act, passed at the same time, called the Quebec Act, was included by the Americans among the "Intolerable Acts."

Even some British sympathized with the American cause. Here, a British cartoonist pictures America as an Indian woman having the Intolerable Acts forced down her throat. The caption reads, "The able Doctor, or, America swallowing the Bitter Draught."

The Coercive Acts

The four Coercive Acts, meant to bring about the submission of the colonists-especially those in Massachusetts-were the Quartering Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, the Boston Port Act, and the Administration of Justice Act or the "Murder Act."

The Quartering Act

The king forced the people of the colonies to take the British troops into their homes. This terrified and infuriated the colonists. They were being deprived of whatever British rights they had possessed. The people were having to expose their children to the British soldiers, who were not well liked by any of the colonies. After what had happened at the Boston massacre the people were all afraid of them. Now that they were being shoved into their homes against her will, the people were infuriated and with good reason.

The Massachussets Government Act

This act replaced Massachusetts elected council of representatives with a council of royal appointees. The act was specifically designed to limit Massachusetts independence.

The Boston Port Act

The king shut down the port of Boston to all trade aside from that with Britain until they paid back all the tea that was lost in the Boston Tea Party. This was the only reasonable act, I think. The colonies ruin a lot of British tea that day (100,000 pounds worth about $1,000,000 in today's money). There were other ways they could have dealt with that, rather than what they did with all that tea. I think they definitely deserved this one, but the rest were unnecessary tyranny.

The Administration of Justice Act

The "Murder Act" allowed the governor of Massachusetts, appointed by the king, to move any trial to Great Britain. As far as the colonies were concerned, this allowed British officials to get away with almost any crime. The colonists called it the Murder Act because they worried that British officials would be able to slaughter whole crowds at once without trial. This angered the colonies because the British officials were literally being allowed to get away with murder.

The Quebec Act

Finally, the Quebec Act, which was unrelated to the Coercive Acts in British thinking, gave extra freedoms and rights to former French citizens in Canada. Quebec had been obtained in the Seven Years War with France.

Though it was simply meant to prevent the American uprising from spreading to Canada, the colonists considered it "intolerable" as well. They objected to the special freedoms given to Quebec citizens and to a provision specifically recognizing Roman Catholicism. They considered that last provision to be a threat to religious freedom.

These five acts were one of the biggest causes of the revolutionary war. The First Continental Congress, an illegal assembly of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies, was called in response to the Intolerable Acts.

The Stamp Act

King George III

Return to Causes of the American Revolution

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The Intolerable Acts were a series of laws issued by King George III in response to the colonies' Boston Tea Party. The king began taxing products from the colonies, and they were not happy about this. They began to rebel in various ways, the most notable of which was the Boston Tea Party.

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Read all about Boston Tea Party Facts and Boston History. Learn about the event that lead to an American Revolution!

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Paul Revere was born in the North End of Boston on December 21, 1734. Although Revere originated from the middling sort, through his membership in St. Andrews Lodge of Freemasons, he made connections with a number of people who later became the founding members of the Loyal Nine. Although he was not a member of the Loyal Nine, it is believed that he assisted this predecessor organization of the Sons of Liberty in leading political protests against Parliament's authority to tax the colonies. While he was not known for exceptional oratory, he was a master of propaganda, and his works helped the Sons of Liberty galvanize support for their dissident cause.

Resisting Taxation Without Representation

In August of 1765, Paul Revere participated in the Stamp Act Riots in response to the impending Stamp Act that was to take effect in the coming months. During these riots, the mob tore down the houses of government officials, including the house of Lieutenant Governor and Chief Justice Thomas Hutchinson. While these riots were viewed in a negative light by Parliament, the now apparent unpopularity of the Stamp Act in British North America forced its repeal. Following swiftly on the heels of the Stamp Act's repeal was the passage of the Declaratory Act in 1766, further asserting Parliament's right to tax the colonies. From this point forward, Paul Revere dedicated himself to the production of engravings which highlighted the excesses of the British government, and the unpopularity of their laws in Boston.

On October 1, 1768, two thousand British regulars arrived in Boston. Paul Revere rendered his first of many engravings which, in a subtle manner, detailed the ill effects of British imperial policy in North America. In his engraving of the arrival of British troops, Revere included towering church steeples along Boston's skyline as evidence of the town's orderly and religious origins. To the viewer of the eighteenth century, this made the arrival of British regulars even more offensive. If Boston was capable of managing its own affairs, then why were two thousand regulars quartered in the town?

The Boston Massacre

As time passed, tensions between the occupying force of British regulars and the town of Boston mounted. On March 5, 1770, these tensions resulted in the deaths of five unarmed Boston civilians on King Street. This tragedy later became known as the Boston Massacre. Henry Pelham produced an engraving that was later copied and sensationalized by Paul Revere entitled the Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street. In this engraving, Revere depicted Captain Thomas Preston standing behind his soldiers of the 29th regiment, implying that he ordered them to fire into the crowd-which was later refuted during the Boston Massacre Trial. In addition, Ebenezer Richardson was shown firing his buckshot into the crowd (which had happened only a few weeks prior on February 22, 1770, resulting in the death of Christopher Sneider), and a storefront labeled "Butcher's Hall" as to appeal to the viewer's perception of the British Army as brutal oppressors.

Revere's Revolutionary Propaganda

These examples of propaganda did much to convince the public of Parliament's flawed colonial policies. In the years that followed, Paul Revere, and the leaders of the Sons of Liberty did everything in their power to keep the memory of the Boston Massacre alive. On March 5, 1771, only one year after the massacre, Paul Revere staged an elaborate public demonstration from his home in the North End. From the windows of his home, he displayed various scenes of the Boston Massacre. In one of his windows, he displayed the ghost of young Christopher Sneider along with the names of the five men that fell on King Street. A second window depicted the soldiers of the 29th regiment firing into the crowd, and the third window displayed lady liberty with one foot on the head of a British Grenadier, and her finger pointing toward the window displaying the massacre.

Paul Revere's Ride

These various forms of propaganda had a profound effect on the people of Boston, and were instrumental in persuading the citizenry that the struggle for liberty was a just cause. In the years that followed, the leaders of the patriots would discover other useful talents in Paul Revere. Following the Boston Tea Party, he was dispatched to New York and Philadelphia to inform the Sons of Liberty in those towns of Boston's resistance to the Tea Act. In addition, he was sent by Dr. Joseph Warren to alert the countryside of British regular troop movements on the evening of April 18, 1775, the day before the Battle of Lexington-Concord. While Paul Revere has widely been credited with the midnight ride, other riders were dispatched to raise the alarm of the approaching British Army. His place in history would be solidified by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who canonized Revere as the lone midnight rider in an 1860 poem entitled "Paul Revere's Ride."

Legacy & Leadership

While Paul Revere is best remembered for his horsemanship, his most important contributions came from his hammer and chisel. His ability to appeal to the sensibilities of colonial subjects through the works of his copper engravings, and vigils demonstrated the power of propaganda. After the War of Independence, Revere expanded his business to open an iron foundry in the North End of Boston making utilitarian cast iron products that were useful and widely consumed by the local populace. He also opened a copper mill which produced bells for churches, rolled copper for the hulls of wooden ships, along with copper bolts and spikes that were useful to Boston's burgeoning ship industry. All of this demonstrated that Paul Revere was a man of many talents and a true revolutionary, and was therefore indispensable to Boston's success in resisting the authority of the British Parliament, and King George III.

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Paul Revere was an early revolutionary from Boston who made a number of key connections with leaders of the Loyal Nine and Sons of Liberty.

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Paul Revere was born in the North End of Boston on December 21, 1734. Although Revere originated from the middling sort, through his membership in St. Andrews Lodge of Freemasons, he made connections with a number of people who later became the founding members of the Loyal Nine. Although he was not a member of the Loyal Nine, it is believed that he assisted this predecessor organization of the Sons of Liberty in leading political protests against Parliament's authority to tax the colonies. While he was not known for exceptional oratory, he was a master of propaganda, and his works helped the Sons of Liberty galvanize support for their dissident cause.

Resisting Taxation Without Representation

In August of 1765, Paul Revere participated in the Stamp Act Riots in response to the impending Stamp Act that was to take effect in the coming months. During these riots, the mob tore down the houses of government officials, including the house of Lieutenant Governor and Chief Justice Thomas Hutchinson. While these riots were viewed in a negative light by Parliament, the now apparent unpopularity of the Stamp Act in British North America forced its repeal. Following swiftly on the heels of the Stamp Act's repeal was the passage of the Declaratory Act in 1766, further asserting Parliament's right to tax the colonies. From this point forward, Paul Revere dedicated himself to the production of engravings which highlighted the excesses of the British government, and the unpopularity of their laws in Boston.

On October 1, 1768, two thousand British regulars arrived in Boston. Paul Revere rendered his first of many engravings which, in a subtle manner, detailed the ill effects of British imperial policy in North America. In his engraving of the arrival of British troops, Revere included towering church steeples along Boston's skyline as evidence of the town's orderly and religious origins. To the viewer of the eighteenth century, this made the arrival of British regulars even more offensive. If Boston was capable of managing its own affairs, then why were two thousand regulars quartered in the town?

The Boston Massacre

As time passed, tensions between the occupying force of British regulars and the town of Boston mounted. On March 5, 1770, these tensions resulted in the deaths of five unarmed Boston civilians on King Street. This tragedy later became known as the Boston Massacre. Henry Pelham produced an engraving that was later copied and sensationalized by Paul Revere entitled the Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street. In this engraving, Revere depicted Captain Thomas Preston standing behind his soldiers of the 29th regiment, implying that he ordered them to fire into the crowd-which was later refuted during the Boston Massacre Trial. In addition, Ebenezer Richardson was shown firing his buckshot into the crowd (which had happened only a few weeks prior on February 22, 1770, resulting in the death of Christopher Sneider), and a storefront labeled "Butcher's Hall" as to appeal to the viewer's perception of the British Army as brutal oppressors.

Revere's Revolutionary Propaganda

These examples of propaganda did much to convince the public of Parliament's flawed colonial policies. In the years that followed, Paul Revere, and the leaders of the Sons of Liberty did everything in their power to keep the memory of the Boston Massacre alive. On March 5, 1771, only one year after the massacre, Paul Revere staged an elaborate public demonstration from his home in the North End. From the windows of his home, he displayed various scenes of the Boston Massacre. In one of his windows, he displayed the ghost of young Christopher Sneider along with the names of the five men that fell on King Street. A second window depicted the soldiers of the 29th regiment firing into the crowd, and the third window displayed lady liberty with one foot on the head of a British Grenadier, and her finger pointing toward the window displaying the massacre.

Paul Revere's Ride

These various forms of propaganda had a profound effect on the people of Boston, and were instrumental in persuading the citizenry that the struggle for liberty was a just cause. In the years that followed, the leaders of the patriots would discover other useful talents in Paul Revere. Following the Boston Tea Party, he was dispatched to New York and Philadelphia to inform the Sons of Liberty in those towns of Boston's resistance to the Tea Act. In addition, he was sent by Dr. Joseph Warren to alert the countryside of British regular troop movements on the evening of April 18, 1775, the day before the Battle of Lexington-Concord. While Paul Revere has widely been credited with the midnight ride, other riders were dispatched to raise the alarm of the approaching British Army. His place in history would be solidified by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who canonized Revere as the lone midnight rider in an 1860 poem entitled "Paul Revere's Ride."

Legacy & Leadership

While Paul Revere is best remembered for his horsemanship, his most important contributions came from his hammer and chisel. His ability to appeal to the sensibilities of colonial subjects through the works of his copper engravings, and vigils demonstrated the power of propaganda. After the War of Independence, Revere expanded his business to open an iron foundry in the North End of Boston making utilitarian cast iron products that were useful and widely consumed by the local populace. He also opened a copper mill which produced bells for churches, rolled copper for the hulls of wooden ships, along with copper bolts and spikes that were useful to Boston's burgeoning ship industry. All of this demonstrated that Paul Revere was a man of many talents and a true revolutionary, and was therefore indispensable to Boston's success in resisting the authority of the British Parliament, and King George III.

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Paul Revere was an early revolutionary from Boston who made a number of key connections with leaders of the Loyal Nine and Sons of Liberty.

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The Sons of Liberty were groups of American colonists who disagreed with British rule of the 13 North American colonies. Among the members were many well-known patriots, such as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere. Their activities helped lead the colonies into the American Revolution.

The first Sons of Liberty group formed in Boston in 1765. Other groups soon appeared elsewhere in the colonies. The groups took their name from a speech by Isaac Barré, a member of the British Parliament. Barré defended colonists who opposed unfair British laws. He called them the "sons of liberty."

The first goal of the Sons of Liberty was to overturn the Stamp Act. Passed by Parliament in 1765, the act required colonists to pay a tax on newspapers and legal documents. Like many other colonists, the Sons of Liberty thought that they should not be taxed unless they were represented in Parliament.

The Sons of Liberty met in secret to plan their activities. They published explanations of why they thought the Stamp Act was unfair. They organized protests. Some members even destroyed property or used violence against British officials. The Sons of Liberty convinced many colonists to disobey the Stamp Act. They celebrated when Parliament repealed the act in 1766.

After that victory, the Sons of Liberty continued to act out against British rule. Members were involved in many later protests, including the Boston Tea Party of 1773.

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The Sons of Liberty were groups of American colonists who disagreed with British rule of the 13 North American colonies. Among the members were many well-known patriots, such as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere. Their activities helped lead the colonies into the American Revolution.

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Who Were They?

The Sons of Liberty were a group of people in the American colonies that were against England's laws and taxes on the colonists. They thought that the British were trying to control the colonies too much and making them pay taxes that were not fair. The Stamp Act, described later in this lesson, played a major part in the formation of the Sons of Liberty.

The Sons of Liberty had groups in almost all of the thirteen colonies. However, this was before the telephone was invented - and way before the Internet was invented, so it was hard to communicate at that time. As a result, the groups usually worked on their own instead of acting as a big organization.

Some of the most famous people who were part of the Sons of Liberty were Paul Revere, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, and Samuel Adams.

What Did They Do?

The Sons of Liberty formed secret groups of people to protest and take action against England, the British soldiers, and the representatives that were in the colonies. It was illegal for them meet, so they had to do it in secret. Many different kinds of people joined the Sons of Liberty, and these people would also later play a big part in the American Revolutionary War. Two major events that the Sons of Liberty were part of were the Stamp Act protests and the Boston Tea Party.

Important Events

When the Stamp Act was signed in 1765, many of the colonists were very angry. The Stamp Act taxed paper products that the colonists used. The colonists were angry because they felt that England should not be allowed to tax them and take money from them when the colonists did not have anyone to represent them in the British government. The Sons of Liberty fought the Stamp Act by forming large groups of protesters that gathered in the streets. They also threatened the British people who were supposed to be collecting the tax. The collectors became so scared that some of them quit their jobs. The protests worked, and the British ended up putting a stop the Stamp Act.

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sons of liberty lesson for kids: summary & facts | study.com

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Sons of Liberty Lesson for Kids: Summary & Facts | Study.com

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The Sons of Liberty were a group of people in the American colonies that were against England's laws and taxes on the colonists. They thought that the British were trying to control the colonies too much and making them pay taxes that were not fair.

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The colonization of America and the fascinating events that led colonists and patriots down the Road to Revolution

Definition of the Sons of Liberty
The Meaning and Definition of the Sons of Liberty: The Sons of Liberty were a secret, underground organization that was founded in Boston by Samuel Adams and John Hancock in July 1765. The Sons of Liberty were opposed to the Stamp Act and their membership spread to a number of colonial towns.

Purpose of the Sons of Liberty
The Purpose of the Sons of Liberty The objective and purpose of the Sons of Liberty was to force all of the British stamp agents to resign and also stop many American merchants from ordering British trade goods. Its members were American patriots, many of whom were hot-headed and were not adverse to the use of violence and intimidation.

Sons of Liberty - the Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a direct British tax in the form of a stamp required on all newspapers and legal or commercial documents. Contracts, licences, diplomas, calendars, pamphlets and even playing cards required a stamp. Basically anything printed on paper, except books, was taxed.

Picture of a One Penny Stamp Act Stamp

The Sons of Liberty

There were many workers associations, or fraternal organizations, that provided fellowship for craftsmen (artisans), apprentices, and common laborers in Boston. There was often conflict between these organisations as every trade had its own agenda. The Stamp Act effected every single person, regardless of their trade, wealth or standing in the community. The taxes levied by the Stamp Act were not to regulate commerce and trade, but to directly grasp money out of colonists. Samuel Adams, a prominent Boston Patriot and political activist, persuaded these organizations to stop fighting amongst themselves and unite in opposition to the Stamp Act. The members of this united brotherhood became known as the Sons of Liberty.

The Sons of Liberty - Advance warning of the Stamp Tax
The American colonists were informed in advance of the intended Stamp Tax which had been was passed in Parliament on February 17,1765 but would not take effect until November 1, 1765. There was time to plan, protest and take action in the form of demonstrations and petitions against the Stamp tax. The Stamp Tax was introduced by a direct order from Britain without approval of the colonial legislature - the cry of "No taxation without representation" was to ring loudly in the colonies. Other provisions made in the Stamp Act included that anyone accused of evading the tax would not have the right of a trial by jury. The act also stated that it would be enforced by stamp agents. The Stamp Agents were either sent over from England or appointed by the loyalist governors. The stamp agents would become obvious targets for the Sons of Liberty.
The Sons of Liberty - Paul Revere and the 'Mechanics'

Sons of Liberty

In Boston Paul Revere organized a group of Sons of Liberty men called the 'Mechanics'. The 'Mechanics' established an intelligence network that monitored the actions of the British troops in Boston which they reported to Sons of Liberty leaders in Boston such as John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Joseph Warren. They met on October 23, 1765 and voted that they would oppose with their lives and fortunes, the vending of any tea that might be sent to Boston by the East India Company. Ten years after its formation, on the eve of the American Revolution, this organization, within the Sons of Liberty, would discover that British troops were planning to march on Lexington and Concord on the evening of April 18, 1775. They were able to inform their fellow patriots by Paul Revere's Ride.

It was essential that their meetings were should be kept secret, so every time they met, each man swore upon the Bible not to divulge their information to any but their leaders. These Sons of Liberty used secret passwords and signs as protection against loyalist spies. On public occasions members wore medals, that had been designed by Paul Revere in his capacity as a silversmith and copperplate engraver. (Paul Revere also produced the engraving shown at the top of this page) On one side of the medal was a figure of a stalwart arm, grasping in its hand a pole, surmounted with a cap of liberty, and surrounded by the words, "Sons of Liberty." On the reverse side was a representation of Liberty Tree where their public meetings in Boston were held.

Liberty Tree and Liberty Poles
The Liberty Tree, where the public meetings of the Sons of Liberty in Boston were held, was located in the open space known as "Liberty Hall," at the junction of Newbury, Orange and Essex Streets. For ten years, a famous tree known as the "Liberty Elm" often served as the rallying point for the Sons of Liberty. The Boston chapter of the Sons of Liberty gathered beneath the Liberty Tree for meetings whilst the New York City chapter met beneath the Liberty Pole for its meetings.

During the siege of Boston, a party of Loyalists led by Job Williams cut the Liberty tree down in an act of spite, knowing what it represented to the colonists, and used the tree for firewood.

The Sons of Liberty used replaceable Liberty Poles as their rallying points. The Liberty Poles were tall wooden poles planted in the ground, which were often topped by a flag or a liberty cap. Many of the Liberty Poles were defiantly cut from white pine, which was prohibited for public use and reserved exclusively for masts of His Majesty's navy.

An, often violent, struggle over liberty poles erected by the Sons of Liberty in New York City raged for 10 years, as depicted in the picture. The poles were periodically destroyed by the royal authorities only to be replaced by the Sons with new ones.

Defence of the Liberty Pole in New York

The Sons of Liberty Flag
The Sons of Liberty Flag was known as the "Rebellious Stripes". When the Sons of Liberty flag was raised on the Liberty Tree or Liberty Pole, it was a sign for all the Sons of Liberty and other supportive townspeople to meet and discuss their complaints about British rule. The first Sons of Liberty flags were based loosely on British ensigns. Their flag then emerged with nine alternating red and white vertical stripes consisting of four white stripes and five red stripes.
The Sons of Liberty Flag
The nine stripes of the Sons of Liberty flag represented the nine protesting colonies that participated in the Stamp Act Congress of 1765. The nine colonies represented are: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and South Carolina. Eventually the number stripes grew to 13, representing unified resistance from all 13 American colonies. The Liberty Flag symbolized freedom and the fight against British oppression in the colonies. The Liberty Flag afforded the Sons of Liberty a sense of purpose, permanence and legitimacy. The white stripes on the flags symbolized peace and honesty, the red stripes on the flag symbolized hardiness, bravery, strength & valour. The idea of flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and was associated with the battlefield. Flying a Sons of Liberty flag literally had the effect of raising a red rag at a bull - a flag demands attention. It is therefore no surprise that there were conflicts and skirmishes related to the liberty trees, the liberty poles and the liberty flags. British authorities, and their supporters known as Loyalists, considered the Sons of Liberty as seditious rebels, referring to them as "Sons of Violence" and "Sons of Iniquity".

The Growth of the Sons of Liberty
The Sons of Liberty organizations started in Boston and New York quickly followed suit. These two original Sons of Liberty organizations quickly established correspondence and communications with ever emerging Sons of Liberty groups in all of the other colonies. Soon other groups, identifying themselves as Sons of Liberty, existed in almost every colony. The organization grew quickly and spread month by month, after independent starts in several different colonies. A Sons of Liberty Timeline follows:

July 1765 the Sons of Liberty movement in Boston, Massachusetts, was founded

September 1765 the Sons of Liberty was established in New York

December 1765 the Sons of Liberty was established in Connecticut

January 1766 the Sons of Liberty was established New Hampshire

March 1766 the Sons of Liberty was established in Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia

April 1766 the Sons of Liberty was established in North Carolina

June 1766 the Sons of Liberty was established in South Carolina and Georgia

June 1766 the Sons of Liberty was established in Delaware and Pennsylvania

The Aims and Objectives of the Sons of Liberty
The initial aims and objectives of the Sons of Liberty were to prevent collection of the stamp tax, to enforce the Nonimportation Agreements (agreements by merchants not to purchase British goods) and to stimulate a consciousness of colonial grievances against British rule. The Sons of Liberty organisation continued to oppose British rule for as long as it lasted. Outwardly, the Sons of Liberty proclaimed their unfaltering loyalty and allegiance to King George III of Great Britain and emphasized their support of the English Constitution, their issues were with the British Parliament, not the king. Others held more radical views but initially the idea of revolution was not held by the majority of Sons of Liberty. As events unfolded the more conservative members of the Sons of Liberty adopted the radical views. The working class people despised the 'lame' protests of the elite colonists - they favored more extreme measures...

Riots and Protests against the Stamp Act

The Sons of Liberty Protests and Actions
The Sons of Liberty organised various protests and actions against the provisions of the Stamp Act. Their members were cloaked with secrecy. Prominent citizens such as Sam Adams and his cousin John Adams did not participate in the violent actions initiated by the Sons of Liberties. But they were clearly viewed ad as leaders of the Sons of Liberty. The protests and actions of the Sons of Liberty became more radical and violent as their numbers swelled and their power grew. The actions and protests moved on from peaceful meetings, organising boycotts and minor covert actions to public displays of civil unrest and violence. The Sons of Liberty were involved in:

Ransacking and damaging houses of British officials

Images of unpopular figures were burned in effigy

Stamp Agents were subjected to threats and intimidation

Offenders were publicly 'tarred and feathered'

Sons of Liberty were involved in riots

Burning Buildings and the Gaspee affair

Major Incidents involving the Sons of Liberty
The major incidents involving the Sons of Liberty included:

The Leaders of the Sons of Liberty
The leaders of the Sons of Liberty included the following men who were American patriots and political activists during the period in history leading up to the American Revolutionary War:

Leaders of the Sons of Liberty

Samuel Adams

Samuel Adams was the founder and a leader of the Sons of Liberty based in Boston. Sam Adams was a second cousin to John Adams

John Adams

was a leader of the Sons of Liberty based in Massachusetts, he was destined to great achievements and became the second President of the United States John Adams

Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry was a leader of the Sons of Liberty based in Virginia. In 1775 Patrick Henry delivered his passionate and fiery speech "Give me liberty or give me death!"

John Hancock

John Hancock was a leader of the Sons of Liberty based in Boston, he became president of the Continental Congress

James Otis

James Otis was a leader of the Sons of Liberty based in Boston and was a lawyer and public official.

Paul Revere

Paul Revere (1734 - 1818) was a leader of the Sons of Liberty based Boston. He was a silversmith and copperplate engraver who helped to organize an intelligence and alarm system to keep watch on the British military. As a copperplate engraver, Paul Revere began producing political engravings that supported the cause of the Patriots. The picture of the Boston massacre at the top of the page is taken from one of the Paul Revere engravings.

Joseph Warren

Doctor Joseph Warren was a leader of the Sons of Liberty based in Boston who served as president of the revolutionary Massachusetts Provincial Congress.

Leaders of the Sons of Liberty

The Sons of Liberty - The Name was coined by Isaac Barré
Isaac Barré (1726 - 1802) was an Irish soldier and a prominent Member of Parliament supporting William Pitt. Isaac Barré is known for coining the term "Sons of Liberty". Colonel Isaac Barré was a staunch opponent of the taxation of America and he applied the name "Sons of Liberty" in one of his speeches against the Stamp Tax. He responded to an observation by Charles Townshend, as he was introducing the Stamp Act resolutions on February 11, 1755, that the American colonies should "contribute to the mother country which had planted, nurtured and indulged them..." The fiery reply made by Isaac Barré is as follows:
"... Planted by your care! No, your oppressions planted them in America. They fled from your tyranny to a then uncultivated, inhospitable country, where they exposed themselves to almost all the hardships to which human nature is liable, and among others to the cruelties of a savage foe and actuated by principles of true English liberties, they met all hardships with pleasure compared with those they suffered in their own country
from the hands of those who should be their friends."
His words and his support of the patriots made him a hero and champion of the American colonists, the original Son of Liberty. The name 'Sons of Liberty' originally coined by Isaac Barré was a first used as an underground term for any men resisting new Crown taxes and laws. The initial groups of protestors had their own specific names for their new associations for example the Caucus, the Long-Room Club and the Union Club that were all names of organizations used in Boston. The name, "Sons of Liberty" was soon adopted as the unified name for all those fighting for the liberties of America.

Sons of Liberty

Meaning and Definition of the Sons of Liberty

History of the Sons of Liberty

Fast Facts and info about Sons of Liberty timeline

The Sons of Liberty article is a great history resource for kids

Social Studies Homework help for kids on the Sons of Liberty

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The colonization of America and the fascinating events that led colonists and patriots down the Road to Revolution Definition of the Sons of Liberty The Meaning and Definition of the Sons of Liberty: The Sons of Liberty were a secret, underground organization that was founded in Boston by Samuel Adams and John Hancock in July 1765.

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Learn about the Sons of Liberty of the American Revolution including how they got their name, important members, protests, the Stamp Act, the Boston Tea Party, and interesting facts.

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The Sons of Liberty was a political secret organization established in 1765. They criticized the imposition of taxes by the British Government to the colonists.

Prior to the establishment of the Sons of Liberty, the Loyal Nine composed of merchants and artisans who came together as a result of the rules imposed by the British government.

They used the 'rebellious flag' to represent the original nine colonies who participated during the Stamp Act which eventually grew to thirteen. Flags were placed in poles and trees to let people know about the revolutionary meetings and discussions

The protest against the passage of the Stamp Act in 1765 formed the Sons of Liberty. Patriots such as Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, and Paul Revere were some of its original members. The Stamp Act was the tax imposed to all printed materials and documents which require stamps. The British government made such a step in order to gain money from the colonists due to the costs of previous wars.

They started hanging effigies of stamp distributors to show their resistance until it was repealed by the Parliament. In 1768, the Townshend Act was passed, imposing tax on common goods such as tea, glass, and paper.

This was closely followed by the Tea Act of 1773, which allowed the huge importation of the British East India Company Tea. Later that year, the Boston Tea Party took place. The members of the Sons of Liberty dressed like American Indians threw tea into the sea at the Boston harbor. They also refused to buy goods coming from English cargo ships.

Radical members engaged into ransacking the houses of British officials, hanging and burning of effigies, and smoldering public buildings.

Others however focused on printed materials and recruitment of members across the thirteen colonies.

They contributed army men during the American Revolution wherein some females from the Daughters of Liberty served as spies and nurses.

After the American Revolution in 1783, the secret group disbanded.

Sons of Liberty Worksheets

This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Sons of Liberty Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about The Sons of Liberty which was a political secret organization established in 1765.

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Sons of Liberty Facts & Worksheets For Kids | PDF Resource

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Americans today think of the War for Independence as a revolution, but in important respects it was also a civil war. American Loyalists, or "Tories" as their opponents called them, opposed the Revolution, and many took up arms against the rebels. Estimates of the number of Loyalists range as high as 500,000, or 20 percent of the white population of the colonies.

What motivated the Loyalists? Most educated Americans, whether Loyalist or Revolutionary, accepted John Locke's theory of natural rights and limited government. Thus, the Loyalists, like the rebels, criticized such British actions as the Stamp Act and the Coercive Acts. Loyalists wanted to pursue peaceful forms of protest because they believed that violence would give rise to mob rule or tyranny. They also believed that independence would mean the loss of economic benefits derived from membership in the British mercantile system.

Loyalists came from all walks of life. The majority were small farmers, artisans and shopkeepers. Not surprisingly, most British officials remained loyal to the Crown. Wealthy merchants tended to remain loyal, as did Anglican ministers, especially in Puritan New England. Loyalists also included some blacks (to whom the British promised freedom), Indians, indentured servants and some German immigrants, who supported the Crown mainly because George III was of German origin.

The number of Loyalists in each colony varied. Recent estimates suggest that half the population of New York was Loyalist; it had an aristocratic culture and was occupied throughout the Revolution by the British. In the Carolinas, back-country farmers were Loyalist, whereas the Tidewater planters tended to support the Revolution.

During the Revolution, most Loyalists suffered little from their views. However, a minority, about 19,000 Loyalists, armed and supplied by the British, fought in the conflict.

The Paris Peace Treaty required Congress to restore property confiscated from Loyalists. The heirs of William Penn in Pennsylvania, for example, and those of George Calvert in Maryland received generous settlements. In the Carolinas, where enmity between rebels and Loyalists was especially strong, few of the latter regained their property. In New York and the Carolinas, the confiscations from Loyalists resulted in something of a social revolution as large estates were parceled out to yeoman farmers.

About 100,000 Loyalists left the country, including William Franklin, the son of Benjamin, and John Singleton Copley, the greatest American painter of the period. Most settled in Canada. Some eventually returned, although several state governments excluded the Loyalists from holding public office. In the decades after the Revolution, Americans preferred to forget about the Loyalists. Apart from Copley, the Loyalists became nonpersons in American history.

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Loyalists During the American Revolution < The road to Independence < History 1994 < American History From Revolution To Reconstruction and beyond

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Americans today think of the War for Independence as a
revolution, but in important respects it was also a civil war.
American Loyalists, or “Tories” as their opponents called them,
opposed the Revolution, and many took up arms against the rebels.
Estimates of the number of Loyalists range as high a…

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During the American Revolutionary War, the people living in the Thirteen American Colonies had to decide whether they wanted to break away from British rule and gain independence or remain British citizens. These two groups were the Patriots and the Loyalists.
See the fact file below for more information on the Patriots and the Loyalists or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Patriots and the Loyalists worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information

THE PATRIOTS

Patriots wanted the Thirteen colonies to gain independence from Britain. They wanted to create their own laws and to form the United States of America.

The Patriots wanted freedom from British rule because they didn't think they were treated well. The British kept introducing new taxes and laws, and the colonists had no representatives on the government - which lead to unrest and calls for "liberty". Patriots did not want to be ruled by the British any longer.

There were a number of famous Patriots. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, and John Adams both eventually became presidents. George Washington was a patriot who led the Continental Army and after the American Revolution, he became the first President of the United States.

A number of patriots became known as the Founding Fathers of the United States. They include Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, and Ethan Allen.

THE LOYALISTS

Some people wanted to stay part of Britain and remain British citizens. A lot of the colonists had British relatives or ancestors, and some were very grateful for the opportunity to farm peacefully in the British-ruled land.

A significant amount of loyalists were African-American slaves. The British promised to free the slaves from their Patriot masters and around 50,000 slaves (roughly 10% of the total slave population in the 1770s) fled from their masters to side with the loyalists.

Other colonists had business interests in England. They knew that British trade was important to the economy and their livelihood, and thought that British rule would be better for them than the Patriots.

One of the most famous loyalists was Benedict Arnold. He was a general in the Continental Army and defected to fight for the British instead.

There weren't as many famous loyalists as there were patriots because they lost the war, but other famous loyalists included the governor of the Massachusetts colony, Thomas Hutchinson, Joseph Galloway, the Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress who later worked for the British army, John Butler, the leader of the loyalists troops Butler's Rangers, and the mayor of New York City, David Mathews.

Loyalists During the War

Loyalists living in Patriot areas were under constant threat. They were in danger of attack from radical patriots and many loyalists lost their homes and businesses due to patriot attacks.

Some loyalists left the colonies and headed back to Britain. The more devoted loyalists either joined the British army or formed their own group of fights, including the Loyal Greens and the Royal American Regiment.

Loyalists After the War

The wealthiest loyalists moved to England after the war. Men like Thomas Hutchinson had the resources to travel to London.

The poorer loyalists lost their fortunes and their land. Some loyalists were paid by the British government for their loyalty, but it wasn't enough to compensate what they had lost.

The United States government wanted loyalists to stay in the country. The skills, education and knowledge of the loyalists were seen as important assets to the new country. Despite that, very few loyalists chose to remain in the United States.

The British evacuated 20,000 slaves. They resettled these formerly enslaved African Americans as free people.

Many ordinary Loyalists went to Canada. They would go on to play a large part in the development of the Canadian government and society. The American Revolution shaped the future of the United States and Canada as well.

Patriots and Loyalists Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Patriots and Loyalists across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Patriots and Loyalists worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the time during the American Revolutionary War when the people living in the Thirteen American Colonies had to decide whether they wanted to break away from the British rule and gain independence or remain British citizens. These two groups were the Patriots and the Loyalists.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

Patriots and Loyalists Facts

Who's Who?

Compare and Contrast

Own Laws

Letter Unscramble

True or False

American Revolution Crossword

Arnold's Escape

Nicknames

Colonies in Map

Join or Die

Included Patriot & Loyalist worksheets:

After completing these worksheets students will be able to:

Have a clear understanding of the American Revolution.

Define and identify both Patriots and Loyalists.

Answer a series of challenging questions to hone their knowledge.

Have a grasp of key figures within society at the time of the revolution.

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Patriots vs Loyalists Worksheets, Facts and Definition For Kids

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Thomas Hutchinson, a Supreme Court justice in Massachusetts, was the most hated man in America before Benedict Arnold, and was hung in effigy many times for being a loyalist.

The year is 1774. Whether you are a merchant in Massachusetts, a German-born farmer living in Pennsylvania, a tavern-owning woman of Maryland, or a slave-owner in the South, you share some things in common. For instance, you probably don't like paying taxes on such goods as tea that wind up going to support the royal coffers in London. At the same time you like the notion of being part of the British Empire, the most powerful in the world.

Chances are you speak English and have many British relatives or ancestors. Or, even if you're a German farmer with no ties to Britain, you are still grateful for the opportunity to farm peacefully in this British-ruled land. Yet, you hear murmurings - radical notions about separating from Britain are making the rounds. Those hotheads in Boston recently threw a load of tea in the harbor and the British retaliated with something called the Intolerable Acts. A confrontation is looming.

Who will you support? The radical Americans or the British? Fact is, it's not an easy decision. Not only will your way of life be drastically affected, but whomever you choose to side with will make you instant enemies.

Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia at the start of the Revolutionary War, offered freedom to enslaved Africans and Indians for joining the British Army.

Any full assessment of the American Revolution must try to understand the place of Loyalists, those Americans who remained faithful to the British Empire during the war.

Although Loyalists were steadfast in their commitment to remain within the British Empire, it was a very hard decision to make and to stick to during the Revolution. Even before the war started, a group of Philadelphia Quakers were arrested and imprisoned in Virginia because of their perceived support of the British. The Patriots were not a tolerant group, and Loyalists suffered regular harassment, had their property seized, or were subject to personal attacks.

The process of "tar and feathering," for example, was brutally violent. Stripped of clothes, covered with hot tar, and splattered with feathers, the victim was then forced to parade about in public. Unless the British Army was close at hand to protect Loyalists, they often suffered bad treatment from Patriots and often had to flee their own homes. About one-in-six Americans was an active Loyalist during the Revolution, and that number undoubtedly would have been higher if the Patriots hadn't been so successful in threatening and punishing people who made their Loyalist sympathies known in public.

One famous Loyalist is Thomas Hutchinson, a leading Boston merchant from an old American family, who served as governor of Massachusetts. Viewed as pro-British by some citizens of Boston, Hutchinson's house was burned in 1765 by an angry crowd protesting the Crown's policies. In 1774, Hutchinson left America for London where he died in 1780 and always felt exiled from his American homeland. One of his letters suggested his sad end, for he, "had rather die in a little country farm-house in New England than in the best nobleman's seat in old England." Like his ancestor, Anne Hutchinson who suffered religious persecution from Puritan authorities in the early 17th-century, the Hutchinson family suffered severe punishment for holding beliefs that other Americans rejected.

American patriots used tar and feathering to intimidate British tax collectors.

Perhaps the most interesting group of Loyalists were enslaved African-Americans who chose to join the British. The British promised to liberate slaves who fled from their Patriot masters. This powerful incentive, and the opportunities opened by the chaos of war, led some 50,000 slaves (about 10 percent of the total slave population in the 1770s) to flee their Patriot masters. When the war ended, the British evacuated 20,000 formerly enslaved African Americans and resettled them as free people.

Along with this group of black Loyalists, about 80,000 other Loyalists chose to leave the independent United States after the Patriot victory in order to remain members of the British Empire. Wealthy men like Thomas Hutchinson who had the resources went to London. But most ordinary Loyalists went to Canada where they would come to play a large role in the development of Canadian society and government. In this way, the American Revolution played a central role shaping the future of two North American countries.

James Chalmers and Plain Truth
Along with earning Thomas Paine the respect of his fellow Patriots, his pamphlet Common Sense brought scorn from those loyal to the English Crown. James Chalmers, a Maryland planter, decided to counter Paine with his own work which he dubbed Plain Truth. Chalmers angrily denounced the American cause and called Paine a "political quack." View an ad announcing its first publishing, listen to a reading from Plain Truth, or read a fine essay on Chalmers and his Loyalist document.
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Loyalist Institute
Complete coverage of the Loyalist presence in the Revolution is the focus of this site. Divided into many different sections, all packed with information. Read up on Loyalist regiments, genealogy, re-enactment groups, black Loyalists, uniforms, music and more, more, more. Just take a minute to get the hang of the navigation, and you'll be knee-deep in Loyalist info.
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Thomas Hutchinson
From being the "most popular man in the colony" to his eventual exile back to England, Thomas Hutchinson's turbulent life is profiled on Bartleby.com's Great Books Online page. This bio covers Hutchinson's troubles with rebellious colonists, as well as providing some commentary on his History of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay. No images to see, just a quick overview of one of the more famous Loyalists.
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Tar and Feathers in Revolutionary America
America at the time of the Revolution was a great place if your opinions matched those of the Patriots. Opponents to the popular uprising were often treated to the harshest forms of punishment. This in-depth essay on using tar and feathering to silence Loyalists and others comes to you from Brandeis University. Sorry, no images of what some colonists referred to as "new-fashioned discipline."
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The Birchtown Archaeology Project
When black Loyalists fled the colonies for Nova Scotia in 1783, they landed at Shelburne and were assigned land which became known as Birchtown. More than 2 centuries later an excavation took place at Birchtown; it continues to provide clues as to how life was for these 18th century refugees.
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In 1775, Lord Dunsmore issued the first emanicpation proclamation in American history - however qualified and motivated by military desperation : "I do hereby further declare all indented Servants, Negroes, or others, (appertaining to Rebels,) free that are able and willing to bear Arms."
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In the battle over taxes, patriot and loyalist did their part to keep a certain medieval tradition alive: "Yankee Doodle came to town / For to buy a firelock, / We will tar and feather him / And so we will John Hancock."
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Thomas Hutchinson, a Supreme Court justice in Massachusetts, was the most hated man in America before Benedict Arnold, and was hung in effigy many times for being a loyalist. The year is 1774. Whether you are a merchant in Massachusetts, a German-born farmer living in Pennsylvania, a tavern-owning woman of Maryland, or a slave-owner in the South, you share some things in common.

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American Revolution: The Continental Congress

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Kids learn about The Continental Congress meetings; major events in the American Revolutionary War.