December 16, 2023

Lizzy’s Latest – 250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party!!!

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In my last post I shared the details of my Salem girls trip with my besties.  Well, there was more to the trip…in Boston!  On our way to Salem, we had to pick up my childhood Forever BFF, Tammy, at Logan Airport.  Her flight came in late, so we had some time to check out sites in Boston.  Of course, my penchant for history led us to the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.

I was excited to learn this is the year celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party!  We began at the Meeting House which represented The Old South Meeting House which set the stage for the Boston Tea Party.  Samuel Adams and John Hancock, founding members of the Sons of Liberty, along with thousands of colonists from all over Massachusetts and as far as Maine gathered there for raucous discussions on the tea crisis and to pass resolutions.  We did the same with our re-enactor, Samuel Adams.  The mood was exciting as we were immersed into 18th century intrigues of colonial America and its growing frustration with the tyrannical British Parliament.  To make it more exciting, Packy and I were selected to take part in the meeting!  We were given note cards with lines to speak in response to questions Adams asked us.  It was so much fun being part of history and learning it too.  

Apparently, previous to those meetings, the colonists had been protesting and rebelling against oppressive taxes imposed by the out of control British Parliament to raise revenue to pay for their massive war debts.  They felt the duties were unfair given they had no seat in Parliament.  No taxation without representation was a rallying cry and although Parliament believed they had the sovereign authority to tax the colonies, they finally repealed portions of the Townshend Acts in 1770, but kept the tax on tea.  A lot of revenue could be generated on tea alone because the colonists consumed approximately 1.2 million pounds of it a year! 

In revolt, many Boston merchants purchased tea smuggled in by Dutch traders causing more financial woes for Britain’s East India Company.  In response, Parliament passed the Tea Act of 1773 giving the East India Company a monopoly on the export of tea to the colonies.  They were also granted special waivers such as an exemption on export taxes.  In addition, their tea could only be sold through their selected agents potentially putting independent entrepreneurs out of business. 

The reaction from the colonies was swift.  Under pressure from protesters, consignees from all colonies except Massachusetts resigned.  Tea ships sailed back to England or were seized by customs officials if the cargoes were left unclaimed.  However, Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson resisted the rebellion perhaps because two of the consignees were his own sons!

So, on November 28, 1773, the first of three ships, the Dartmouth, entered Boston Harbor.  British law required the ship be unloaded of its cargo and duties collected within 20 days, so time was of the essence.  As such, the very next day, Samuel Adams convened a meeting at the Old South Meeting House to discuss next steps.  Adams introduced a resolution assigning 25 men to guard the ship from being unloaded and persuading the ship’s captain to send the ship back to England without paying the import tariff.  The resolution was quickly passed and signed, “The People.”  It was the first time meeting requirements were abandoned opening the meeting to anyone who wanted to attend.  Unfortunately, Governor Hutchinson rejected the resolution.  In the days that followed, Eleanor and Beaver entered Boston Harbor and were docked at Griffin’s Wharf with their sister ship, Dartmouth.

On December 16, 1773, one day before Dartmouth’s tax due date, well over 5,000 people joined Adams in and around The Old South Meeting House to make one last appeal to Governor Hutchinson to let the ships leave Boston Harbor without unloading and paying the import tax.  Again, their pleas were rebuffed and there was no other legal recourse to prevent customs officials from unloading the cargoes on American soil come Midnight. 

Adams declared, “This meeting can do nothing further to save the country!”

His declaration was a signal to the Sons of Liberty for the tea party to commence.  And so it did!  Anti-British sentiment was now at its zenith as the masses filled the streets and headed towards Griffin’s Wharf yelling, “Hurrah for Griffin’s Wharf” or “Make Boston Harbor a teapot tonight!”

Meanwhile, Paul Revere and other Sons of Liberty joined hundreds of patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians.  They painted their faces with lamp soot and wore heavy coats as they boarded the 3 moored ships.  Their adrenaline rush fueled their strength for the next 3 hours as they hauled 340 chests of tea overboard into Boston Harbor!  The atmosphere was electric and their excitement buoyed by the crowd screaming in delight, “The Mohawks are come!” 

We got in on the action too!  Aboard the replica of the Eleanor, we took turns dumping tea into the harbor!  Thank you, Packy for holding my umbrella for me.  I hate getting my hair wet!  And thank you, Dad, for the music!  

 

Surprisingly, according to participant, George Hewes, “We were surrounded by British armed ships, but no attempt was made to resist us.”  I guess that’s why we weren’t arrested.  😉

In the end, over 90,000 pounds (45 tons) of tea were destroyed.  That’s over $1.7 million in today’s currency.  Interestingly, there were no injuries, no looting, and no property damage except for one broken padlock that was replaced the next day.  In fact, the Boston Tea Party participants even swept the decks clean before departing.

Only one Boston Tea Party protester was arrested and imprisoned:  Francis Akeley.  He was a militiaman who went on to fight in the American Revolution.  Unfortunately, Akeley died on June 19, 1775 at the Battle of Bunker Hill.     

Samuel and John Adams, John Hancock, and other prominent members of the Sons of Liberty had to refrain from participating lest they be accused of illegal activity.  John Adams was so proud writing, “This destruction of the tea is so bold, so daring, so intrepid and so inflexible, and it must have so important consequences and so lasting that I can’t but consider it an epoch in history.”  Indeed, the Boston Tea Party paved the path to the American Revolution and the birth of a new nation. 

Let’s party like it’s 1773 this weekend!  😉  

Lizzy’s Latest is featuring the Marc Fisher Galley 2 scrunch boots.  Yes, they are comfortable!  We stayed local for this shoot.  We found some nice fall foliage. 

Style with a Smile!

XoXo,

Lizzy