One of the taxes the colonists hated most was the tax on tea. Colonists loved drinking tea, but they refused to pay the king's unfair tax on it.
On a cold night in December 1773, a group of colonists in Boston decided to send the king a message. They dressed up in disguises, climbed onto three ships in Boston Harbor, and dumped 342 chests of tea into the water! Splash! This protest is called the Boston Tea Party — but it was not a party with cake.
The king was furious. He punished Boston with harsh new rules. But instead of giving up, the thirteen colonies came together, stronger than ever. War was coming.
1. Which tax made the colonists especially angry?
2. What did the colonists dump into Boston Harbor?
3. How did the king react?
4. What did the colonies do after Boston was punished?
Write what each word means in your own words.
Number these events 1 to 5 in the order they happened.
| Event | Order (1–5) |
|---|---|
| The king punishes Boston with harsh rules. | |
| The king taxes the colonists' tea. | |
| Colonists dump 342 chests of tea into the harbor. | |
| The colonies come together, stronger than ever. | |
| Colonists in disguises climb onto three ships. |
Write T for true or F for false in each circle.
1. A protest is a way to show something is unfair. Why do you think the colonists chose tea?
2. What is a peaceful way you could speak up about something unfair?
1. The king put a tax on .
2. The Tea Party happened in the city of .
3. It happened in December of .
4. Colonists climbed onto three .
5. Dumping the tea was a against unfair taxes.
6. The colonists wanted to send the king a .
Draw the Boston Tea Party: the ships, the harbor, and the tea chests splashing into the water at night.
| I learned... | Circle one |
|---|---|
| What happened at the Boston Tea Party | YES / NOT YET |
| Why the colonists protested | YES / NOT YET |
| How the king reacted | YES / NOT YET |