The Boston Tea Party — Reading Comprehension

The Boston Tea Party was an important event in American history. On December 16, 1773, a group called the Sons of Liberty gathered at Boston Harbor. They were angry because Britain made the colonists pay a tax on tea. The colonists thought this was unfair because they had no voice in making British laws.

The Sons of Liberty wanted to show they would not accept these taxes. They decided to act together. That night, many men dressed as Mohawk Native Americans to hide their faces. They quietly boarded three British ships called the Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver. Each ship was full of tea from Britain.

The men worked quickly. They broke open more than 300 chests of tea and threw the tea into the cold water. The crowd on the shore cheered. A witness said, "The tea was entirely destroyed in about three hours." The British government was shocked and angry when they found out.

This event made the British pass even stricter laws, called the Intolerable Acts. Many colonists were upset. They began to unite, holding meetings and sending letters to other colonies. The Boston Tea Party helped bring the colonies together to fight for their rights. It was a step toward the American Revolution.

Interesting Fact: Some colonists tried to wash and save the floating tea from the harbor, but British soldiers stopped them.

When did the Boston Tea Party happen?

Who led the protest at the harbor?

What did the colonists dump?

Why did the colonists protest the tea tax?

What did the Intolerable Acts do?

How did colonists feel after the Tea Party?

The Boston Tea Party happened in Boston.

What is a 'tax'?