No Time for Tea
Grades 3-5
Introduction
Students will learn how the Constitution of the United States provided the framework for
our country’s democratic form of government. Students also will learn how the Constitution
provided for representation within our government. A short story about the Boston Tea Party
gives the background related to “taxation without representation” and how that changed with the
advent of the new nation and later the Constitution.
Concepts
• Taxes
• Representative government
• Democracy
Objectives
Students will be able to:
• Identify ways that the U.S. Constitution helped to remedy the problem of “taxation
without representation.”
• Describe the importance of having elected government officials.
Recommended Time: 20-30 minutes.
Materials
• No Time for Tea handout
• Copies of the U.S. Constitution (optional)
Activity
Begin the activity by giving a quick summary of the Boston Tea Party. Emphasize how this event
was significant in leading the American colonies toward rebellion against Great Britain beginning
with the Declaration of Independence and ending with war.
Explain how the Constitution provided the foundation of our democracy and helped to correct
many of the colonists’ complaints against the British and King George III. Emphasize that
Bostonians were protesting taxes on goods imported from Britain because they had no say about
them (taxation without representation).
Explain that the Constitution also is a document about economics because it addresses taxation,
personal property rights, the regulation of commerce between states and with other countries,
and other economic principles.
You might want to provide some additional background information about some of the tax acts
imposed upon the colonists by the British government. The Stamp Act of 1765 provided money
for Great Britain from the American colonies. It provided that revenue stamps be affixed to all
newspapers, pamphlets, leases, and other legal documents. This included documents used on
imported items (bills of lading). One of the primary reasons for this tax and others was to pay
the British Army to protect and defend the colonists.
The Stamp Act was eventually repealed, but in its place came the Townshend Duties of 1767
that included import duties on paper, lead, glass, and tea. Taxes were later eliminated on these
items except on tea. In 1773, the Tea Act was passed by Parliament to provide revenue for the
East India Company, a major exporter of tea to the colonies. It did not impose any new taxes and
the price of tea was actually lowered. The colonists looked at this as a trick by the government
to gain support for their other taxes. Also, it cut out local tea merchants’ business as the tea was
sold directly to the colonists. The British completely underestimated the reaction of the colonials
and did not expect them to protest against this tax. However, this new act revived the passion of
the colonials against the concept of “taxation without representation.” They began to boycott tea
from Great Britain, eventually leading to the protest conducted in Boston Harbor known as the
Boston Tea Party.
The phrase “No Taxation Without Representation” became popular when many influential
colonists began a movement to get the British Parliament to allow the colonies to have
direct representation. The British felt that their concept of “virtual representation,” in which
members of Parliament virtually represented all members of the British Empire, was sufficient.
Actual representation was not a very practical idea during this time because of travel and
communication. Therefore, many colonials felt that the best solution regarding taxation was that
the colonial assemblies should impose taxes and not the British Parliament. Organizations such
as the Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams in Boston, were very influential in directing these
protests.
Following The Boston Tea Party and similar protests, the British passed what came to be known
as the “Intolerable Acts.” These four acts sparked even further action by the colonies, resulting
eventually in the Revolutionary War.
Have students read the No Time for Tea handout. After they have finished, ask them to answer
the questions that follow. You can choose to have them work in groups or individually. Ask
for volunteers to share their answers. Be prepared to clarify any questions they may have.
Complete the lesson by explaining that the Constitution provided the freedoms and government
representation the colonists desired.
If time allows, select sections of Article I of the Constitution to tie in the concepts learned in
this activity. Sections 1, 2, and 3 talk about the legislative branch’s elections and responsibilities.
Section 8 talks about taxes and commerce. Lead the discussion and explain how this document
was the foundation for America’s democracy.
Summary and Review
Review key vocabulary terms used in the lesson: representative government, taxes, and
democracy. Remind students that prior to the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, American
colonists did not have representation in the British government. This restricted their freedoms,
possession of personal property, and their voice in the government. Explain again how the
Constitution provides the framework for democracy and sets the rules for how our government
works.
No Time for Tea (Handout)
On a cold evening in November 1773, Johnny and Cindy Adams walked with their mother
along the ocean harbor in Boston, Massachusetts. They were going home after visiting their
grandparents on the other side of town. Suddenly, they saw a group of men climb aboard several
ships anchored in the harbor. Johnny and Cindy tightly grabbed their mother’s hands in fear. She
tried to calm them, saying the men would not hurt them.
The men were running around the ships with hatchets they used to split open large chests
containing tea imported from Great Britain. They dumped the tea in the harbor yelling
something about “taxation without representation.” The children’s mother rushed them home
where they asked her about what had happened. She said that they should talk to their father
when he came home.
At last, their father, Sam, arrived. His clothes were soaking wet and quite a mess, but he seemed
very excited for some reason. Johnny and Cindy jumped up to greet him. They couldn’t stop
asking questions about what they had seen at the harbor. Their father explained how his fellow
colonists decided to protest the taxes that King George III made them pay. He also explained
that taxes are necessary to pay for many services provided by a government, but that the British
did not let the colonists have any say in how the tax money was spent. The colonists were not
part of the government because the British would not allow them to have elected representatives.
He said that he hoped one day the colonists would either have elected representatives or they
could start their own government and be free from the British king.
As Sam tucked his children in bed, he tried to be truthful answering their questions. He knew
that this night had been special, but he also knew that the British were going to be very unhappy.
He had a strong feeling that the future would be different and was hopeful that a “tea party”
would not be needed again.
Answer the questions below in complete sentences.
• Why did the men throw the tea in the water?
• Do you think that they were right to do this? Why?
• What does the phrase “taxation without representation” mean?
• Why is it important to have elected representatives in a government?