The Boston Tea Party and the Outbreak of the Rebellion

1770-1775

When was the Boston Massacre?

March 5, 1770

How did England respond to the Boston Massacre?

They took those 4000 soldiers out of Boston

Why didn’t the Boston Tea Party happen in other places?

Soldiers weren’t in Boston to prevent the tea party because of the massacre. There wasn’t a massacre in Philidelphia, NYC, or Charleston so they still had the 4000 soldiers there, preventing multiple Boston Tea Parties.

What happened in early 1773?

Tea Act was passed, saying that all tea must be bought from the British East India Tea Company (in an attempt to keep them in business)

What happened on December 16, 1773?

at 5:00 pm, 5000 colonist men met with the Sons of Liberty


1. Sam Adams talks to the whole group
2. about 95% of them go home
3. 150 young, unmarried men stayed
4. they divided into 3 groups of 50 to take on 3 boats
5. they dressed like Mohawk Indians so they couldn’t be recognized
6. They threw 342 chests/45 tons/$1 million worth of tea overboard

the water color even changed

What was the difference between the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party?

The Boston Tea party was an Anti-British celebration (people were in the streets watching and cheering), or rock concert. It lasted 3 hours. It was planned. It was the opposite of the Boston Massacre.

What happened in February 1774?

Britain finally got word of the Boston Tea Party, and they passed the Coercive (Intolerable) Acts

What were the Coercive/Intolerable Acts?

1. England closed Boston Harbor, wanting them to pay for the destroyed tea (which was impossible), which destroyed the local economy
2. England replaced the royal governor with Thomas Gage, a military governor
3. 4000 British soldiers were stationed back in Boston

\-passed the Quartering Act, which allowed soldiers to force themselves in colonist homes, which MAKES IT PERSONAL
4. If any British soldier commits a crime, they are tried in England

What happened in September 1774?

1st continental congress

12/13 colonies (except GA) met in Phili, showing that they are more united

What was the continental congress’s collective response to the coercive acts?

1. promise aid to Boston (donate necessities)
2. promise to meet again (this was an opportunity for them to bond over a common enemy)
3. they decided that they aren’t Virginians/New Yorkers/etc. anymore, they are AMERICANS, showing their unity
4. full-on boycott of all British laws (women were the glue of the national boycott)
5. all 13 colonies start calling a standing army (training to be disciplined)

What happened on April 19, 1775?

Thomas Gage goes to get weapons in Lexington and Concord at midnight


1. they arrive at 4:00 am, minutemen were alerted of their coming by Paul Revere
2. it was 700 smug British vs. 77 unprepared minutemen
3. Americans injured 1 British with 1 round; British killed and injured 14 Americans with 1 round

it was short and awful
4. British got to concord, then began back to Boston (thinking they were successful), but were then faced with many American Minutemen guerilla attacks
5. Gage went from 700 soldiers to having 240 of them dead/wounded overnight

he wrote in his diary that it was “the worst night of my life

What was the significance of the battle of Lexington and Concord?

the country was born on the road from Concord to Boston. It showed that Americans, when unified, are strong and will be able to fight for what they believe in.