The Full Description of the
Events: The Boston Tea Party
Source: http://www.boston-tea-party.org
Patriots alert the population
about the arrival of tea
On Monday morning, the 29th of November,
1773, a handbill was posted all over Boston,
containing the following words: “Friends!
Brethren! Countrymen!--That worst of plagues,
the detested tea, shipped for this port by the East
India Company, is now arrived in the harbor; the
hour of destruction, or manly opposition to the
machinations of tyranny, stares you in the face.
Every friend to his country, to himself and to
posterity, is now called upon to meet at Faneuil
Hall, at nine o’clock THIS DAY (at which time
the bells will ring), to make united and successful
resistance to this last, worst, and most destructive
measure of administration.”
IT’ S DEBATABLE!
•
BOSTON TEA PART Y
The ship Dartmouth, from London, with a
cargo of tea, had anchored off the castle the day
before. By invitation of the Boston Committee of
Correspondence those of Roxbury, Cambridge,
Dorchester and Brookline assembled in the
room of the selectmen, while crowds of citizens
were pouring into Faneuil Hall, and resolved, by
unanimous vote, to use their joint influence to
prevent the landing of the tea. It was also resolved
to invite all the town-committees in the province to
co-operate with them.
The crowd soon became so great that the Hall
could not contain them, and the meeting was
adjourned to the Old South Meeting-house. There
the people resolved that the tea should not be
landed; that no duty should be paid; and that it
should be sent back in the same bottom. They also
voted that Francis Rotch, the owner of the vessel,
should be directed not to enter the tea, at his peril,
and that the captain of the Dartmouth should also
be warned not to suffer the tea to be landed. Orders
were given for the ship to be moored at Griffin’s
Wharf, and twenty citizens were appointed a guard
to watch her.
A letter came to the meeting from the consignees,
offering to store the tea until they could write to
England and receive instructions. “Not a pound
of it shall be landed,” said the meeting. They also
resolved that two other tea-ships, then hourly
expected, should, on their arrival, be moored
alongside the Dartmouth, in charge of the same
volunteer guard. The meeting quietly adjourned,
and the movements of the people were governed
by the Committee of Correspondence. They
appointed a number of post-riders to carry news to
the other towns, in case there should be an attempt
to land the tea by force.
The destruction of tea
The disguised men and others then went on board
the tea-ships moored at Griffin’s Wharf, and in
the course of three hours they emptied three
hundred and forty-two chests of tea into the water
of the harbor. The operation was performed in the
presence of a multitude who were silent spectators
of the scene. It was done at an early hour in the
evening--a bright, cold, moonlit evening--and of
the sixty men who went on board the tea-ships,
only a part of them were disguised as “Mohawks.”
It was not a mob that destroyed the tea, but sober
citizens. It was not a mob that were spectators of
the scene, but a well-behaved audience looking
upon a serious and most significant pantomime.
It was the work of patriotic men, encouraged by
patriotic citizens, who were determined not to be
trifled with any longer.
When the work was done--when Boston harbor
had been made a vast “teapot”--the streets of the
town became as quiet as a Sabbath evening. “All
things,” wrote John Adams to James Warren, “were
conducted with great order, decency, and perfect
submission to government.”
IT’ S DEBATABLE!
•
BOSTON TEA PART Y
The aftermath of the Boston Tea Party
Early the next morning the Committee of
Correspondence appointed Samuel Adams
chairman of a sub-committee to draw up a
statement of what had been done with the tea, and
then they sent Paul Revere as express to carry the
document to the Sons of Liberty in New York and
Philadelphia.
Of the immediate actors on board the tea-ships
on that eventful night, the names of fifty-nine are
known. The last survivor of the band was David
Kinnison, who died in Chicago in 1851, at the age
of one hundred and fifteen years.
The audacity and firmness of the Bostonians
were applauded throughout the colonies. Even in
Canada and the British West Indies there were but
feeble voices of censure. But among the crownofficers in America and the ministerial party in
Great Britain there was fierce wrath. Hutchinson
threatened, but so softly, because of his fears, that
it barely sufficed to shield him from the frowns
of the ministers. The friends of the Americans in
the British Parliament were silent for a moment,
because they could not justify the destruction of
private property; but the assurance sent to the East
India Company, that the town of Boston would pay
for every pound of tea destroyed on that occasion,
loosened their tongues, and they made good use of
the freedom for the benefit of the Americans.
The whole dispute still rested upon the original
foundation--the denial of the right of Great Britain
to tax the colonies without their consent. It was
this fact, more than the destruction of the property,
that excited the ire of the king and his ministers,
and made the House of Lords like a “seething
caldron of impotent rage.” The honesty of the
Americans was overlooked, and the ministry saw
nothing in the proceedings at Boston but open
rebellion.
The debates in the Parliament
and the British response
The news of the “Boston Tea Party” reached
England in January (1774), but it was not officially
announced until early in March. The king
had waited for overwhelming evidence of the
wickedness of the Americans which he found in
letters from Governor Hutchinson and Admiral
Montagu, the consignees of the tea, the letters of
other royal governors in whose respective colonies
there had been serious threatenings, and a large
number of inflammatory handbills. All of these
were sent by the king to Parliament with a message,
in which he asked that body to devise means
for the immediate suppression of tumultuous
proceedings in the colonies.
The House of Commons proposed an address
of thanks to the king, and assurance that he
should be sustained in efforts to maintain order
in America. This address excited angry debates.
The House became “as hot as Faneuil Hall or the
Old South Meeting-house in Boston,” said Burke.
“There is open rebellion in America, and it must
be punished,” cried the Ministerial party. “Repeal
your unjust laws and deal righteously with the
Americans, and there will be peace and loyalty
there,” retorted the Opposition. After a long and
stormy debate, the address was adopted by an
overwhelming majority.
This vote strengthened Lord North, and stimulated
the passions of the monarch. Urged by his
sovereign, North submitted a bill, at the middle
of March, for the severe punishment of Boston.
It provided for the removal of the Custom-house,
courts of justice and government offices of all kinds
from Boston to Salem, and forbade every kind of
shipping business in the harbor of Boston. It also
provided that when the rebellious town should
fully and humbly submit to royal authority, the
king should have the power to open the port and
restore the government business.
IT’ S DEBATABLE!
•
BOSTON TEA PART Y
North justified the harsh measure by asserting
that Boston was “the ringleader in every riot, and
set always the example which others followed.”
He believed severe punishment of this rebellious
town would strike terror throughout the colonies,
and so bring the Americans into subjection to
the crown. Many of his supporters in the House
used very violent language, calling the Bostonians
“mobocrats,” and “vile incendiaries;” men who
were “never actuated by reason, but chose tarring
and feathering as an argument.”
One member denounced them as utterly unworthy
of civilized forbearance. “They ought to have their
town knocked about their ears,” he said; “and
ought to be destroyed.” He concluded his unstinted
abuse by quoting the factious cry of the old Roman
orators against their African enemies--”Delenda
est Carthago”--Carthage must be destroyed. Others
more just, like Rose Fuller, proposed only a fine,
which Barre and other staunch friends of the
Americans thought just, as it would affect a single
town, and voted for it. For this apparent defection,
the portraits of Barre and Conway were removed
from Faneuil Hall for a short time.
NAME:
DATE:
•
•
Each team will receive:
• 1 point for completing each round
• 2 points for finishing the round first
• 3 points for the highest quality text
evidence and analysis
BOS
BOSTON
TON TEA
TEA PART
PARTYY
IIT’S
T’S D
DEEBBATAB
ATABLE!
LE!
EVIDENCE SCAVENGER HUNT
Directions: Students will race to find textual evidence and analyze how the text supports their claim.
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
Claim
The High Quality Checklist
Do your answers do ALL of the following things?
□□Totally support/disprove your claim
□□Analysis draws logical and clear connections between your claim and evidence
□□Written correctly with proper spelling and punctuation
□□Provide a clear link for the reader between your claim, evidence and analysis
Reason
Text Evidence
ROUND
1
PATRIOTS ALERT THE
POPULATION ABOUT THE
ARRIVAL OF TEA
The Colonists were prepared to do
anything they possibly could to stop
the tea from landing in Boston.
□□Support □□Disprove
ROUND
2
THE DESTRUCTION OF TEA
Those who participated in the
destruction of tea in Boston Harbor
were not afraid of getting caught.
□□Support □□Disprove
Complete Argument
Analysis
IT’ S DEBATABLE!
•
BOSTON TEA PART Y
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
THE AFTERMATH OF THE
BOSTON TEA PARTY
THE DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT
AND THE BRITISH RESPONSE
□□Support □□Disprove
The Boston Tea party scared
government officials in England.
ROUND
4
□□Support □□Disprove
The Tea Party was a celebrated
event.
ROUND
3
Claim
Text Evidence
Reason
Analysis
Complete Argument
NAME:
DATE:
A CLAIM AND THREE REASONS
The Boston Tea Party
Directions: Work with your group to create three persuasive reasons using the techniques listed during our discussion.
Reason 2
Reason 1
Reason 3
Claim
The Colonists were
justified/not justified to
protest the Tea Act by
throwing tea into Boston
Harbor
Which reason did you choose to defend in the mini-debate?
Identify at least two conclusions your reasons is true.
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
BOSTON TEA PART Y
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
NAME:
DATE:
THE BEST REASON BUILD OUT
The Boston Tea Party
Directions: Using the reason you and your partner identified as the best reason during your mini debate:
• Skim the text provided and identify a quote that supports your selected reason
• Provide analysis that states how your quote supports or disproves the claim.
• Put together the claim, your quote and text analysis in a complete text-supported argument.
Claim:
The Boston Tea Party was an important and influential event in Pre-revolutionary America.
Original Reason:
Quote:
Text Analysis:
Full Argument:
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
BOSTON TEA PART Y
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
NAME:
DATE:
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
The Boston Tea Party
Imagine you get to school tomorrow, only to be greeted by a sign that says,
“Students will now be charged $1.00 per day
to eat or drink on school property.”
You immediately head straight for the main office and ask the assistant principal about
this new rule. She tells you that the school system has decided give all the principals new
cars so it would be easier for them to get to work and they had to find a way to pay for it.
She went on to say that the school board voted on it and now it’s the newest school rule.
Directions: In the space below, construct a basic argument expressing your opinion
about the new school rule.
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Turn and Talk
Once you have constructed your
argument, find a partner who
has also finished making their
argument. Discuss why both of
you think this rule is either fair or
unfair. Come up with a list of how
you plan to either gather support
for this rule or how you plan to
protest this rule.
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
BOSTON TEA PART Y
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
The Tea Act of 1773
Directions: Work with your partner and read through this brief summary of the Tea Act of 1773. Once you have finished the
reading, complete the Vocabulary you should know section and the questions in the drawing conclusions section.
The Tea Act of 1773 was a law passed by King George III of England that gave a monopoly or an
exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a commodity or service, on tea sales to the
British East India Company, a company created by Queen Elizabeth I for trade with Asia. In other
words, American colonists could not buy tea From any other company but the British East India
Company. Why? Well, the British East India Company wasn’t doing so well, and the British wanted
to give it some more business. The Tea Act of 1773 lowered the price on the tea from the British
East India Company so much that it was way below tea from other suppliers and cheaper to buy.
However, the American colonists saw the Tea Act of 1773 as law as yet another means of taxing
them without letting them be a part of the British government or “taxation without representation.”
It also meant that the colonists couldn’t buy tea from anyone else (including other colonial
merchants) without spending a lot more money. Their response was to refuse to unload the tea from
the ships. This was the situation in Boston that led to the Boston Tea Party.
Source: http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/wwww/us/teaactdef.htm
Vocabulary you should know:
Drawing Conclusions:
The Tea Act of 1773: __________________________
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Monopoly: _________________________________
__________________________________________
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British East India Company: _____________________
__________________________________________
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IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
BOSTON TEA PART Y
1. Describe the Tea Act of 1773. What affect did it
have on the lives of Colonists?
2. What did the colonists mean by “taxation without
representation”?
3. What similarities do you see between the new
school rule and the tea act of 1773?
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
NAME:
DATE:
SECTION:
BOSTON TEA PARTY EXIT TICKET
Directions: Complete this exit ticket before you leave class today.
3 things you learned
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2 things you still have questions about
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
1 thing you found the most interesting
_______________________________________________________________________
NAME:
DATE:
SECTION:
BOSTON TEA PARTY EXIT TICKET
Directions: Complete this exit ticket before you leave class today.
3 things you learned
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2 things you still have questions about
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
1 thing you found the most interesting
_______________________________________________________________________
NAME:
DATE:
COUNTERARGUMENT CLASS CHALLENGE
The Boston Tea Party
Directions: Using the information you gathered during the class’s study of the Boston Tea Party, create a counter argument for
the text-based argument you constructed on your Reason Build Out sheet.
Step 1: What is your claim and reason?
Claim and reason: ______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Step 2: What are some arguments that other people might make?
Brainstorming Counterarguments:
Step 3: Take an argument from above that someone else might make and write out the claim and reason.
Counterargument: ______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Step 4: How are you going to refute the argument that someone else made?
Refuting The Counterargument: However, ____________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________
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IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
BOSTON TEA PART Y