The Men Who Dumped the Tea at the Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party of 1773 has gone down in history as a symbol of America’s fight for freedom from Britain. But who were the brave men who carried out this daring act of defiance, and how did they manage it?
The Sons of Liberty
The men responsible for the destruction of British tea were members of a revolutionary secret society known as the Sons of Liberty. Founded in 1765 to oppose the Stamp Act, the Sons of Liberty had grown to become a powerful force, with hidden cells and members spanning all 13 of the American colonies.
The Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty’s most famous act was the destruction of British tea in the Boston Tea Party of 1773. A group of around 60 men disguised as Native Americans snuck onto three British ships in the Boston harbor and proceeded to dump 342 chests of tea into the water.
Who Were the Men?
The identities of the men who took part in the Boston Tea Party have largely been lost to time. However, there are some names that have survived. Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and James Otis are among the most recognizable participants.
Why Did They Do It?
The Boston Tea Party came about in response to the Tea Act of 1773. Passed by the British parliament, this act allowed the East India Company to bypass paying the regular taxes for the tea it sold to the colonies. The colonists were furious and the Sons of Liberty seized the opportunity to send a powerful message to the British government:
- The colonists were determined to maintain their rights as British citizens.
- The colonists were willing to take radical action to show their displeasure with the government.
- The colonists were united in their opposition to British rule.
The Boston Tea Party stands as a lasting symbol of the American Revolution and the spirit of freedom and self-determination that drove the revolutionary cause. The brave men who dumped the tea into the harbor that day will forever be remembered as heroes.
