We Were There at the Boston Tea Party

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After French and Indian War, the British imposed taxes upon the colonists to help cover their expenses from the fighting.  New taxes continued to be created, on things such as paper and tea, without any input from the colonists.  They began to complain of “taxation without representation,” and then things got worse…

In 1773, the Tea Act was passed, raising the price of tea considerably.  The colonists in Boston had dealt with several years of oppression from the British soldiers stationed there, as well as a financial strain from all of the new taxes, and they were reaching a boiling point. 

In December, 1773, Samuel Adams gave an inspirational – and antagonistic – speech, saying, "Fellow countrymen, we cannot afford to give a single inch! If we retreat now, everything we have done becomes useless! If (Governor) Hutchinson will not send tea back to England, perhaps we can brew a pot of it especially for him!"

Shortly afterward, approximately one hundred people, disguised as Indians, went to Boston Harbor and dumped over 300 chests of tea into the harbor.  (This would be about $2 million worth of goods today!)  The aftermath of the Boston Tea Party sped up the onset of the American Revolution, which began in 1775.

More tea parties followed this one, such as the Edenton Tea Party in North Carolina.

Our spine novel for this unit is We Were There at the Boston Tea Party  

Access the complete unit in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era