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Boston Tea Party Facts & Worksheets

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The Boston Tea Party was a key moment in the history of the American Revolution. Hundreds of people gathered in Boston Harbor to show their defiance against the British government. See the fact file below for more information on the Boston Tea Party or  download the entire 11 page premium worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home learning environment.

  • The Boston Tea Party happened on December 16, 1773 in Boston, Massachusetts. It was a key event for the American Revolution.
  • The Boston Tea Party wasn’t actually a party, despite it’s name. In fact, it was a political protest started by the Sons of Liberty – a secret society of American colonists who wanted to fight taxation by the British government. They were led by Samuel Adams.
  • During the Boston Tea Party, an entire shipment of tea sent from Britain was destroyed and thrown into the sea. Protesters climbed on board the ships and threw the chests of tea straight into Boston Harbor. The tea was ruined and could not be used.
  • 340 chests of tea were destroyed in the Boston Tea Party.
  • The protest happened because the Sons of Liberty were not happy that the British government was making them pay tax on the shipments of tea that were brought into America.
  • The tea had a tax added to it because of Britain’s Tea Act of 1773. The aim of the Tea Act was to reduce the amount of surplus tea that the East India Trading Company had stored in its London warehouses, but a tax was added when it was sent to the American colonies to help raise extra money. The American colonies (including the Sons of Liberty) had not agreed to pay this tax and thought that it was unfair.
  • To disguise themselves, the Sons of Liberty painted their faces and dressed as warriors and Native Americans.
  • As a result of the protest, the British government closed the Port of Boston to all ships. The Royal Navy sent warships to patrol the area and make sure no one went in or out.
  • Closing the Port of Boston made the residents very angry as they thought that everyone was being punished when it was only one group of people, the Sons of Liberty, who had destroyed the tea.
  • The Boston Tea Party was simply called ‘the destruction of the tea’ for many years after the event.
  • The Boston Tea Party was one of the main triggers for the American Revolution, which began in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775, just outside Boston.

Boston Tea Party Worksheets

This bundle includes 11 ready-to-use Boston Tea Party worksheets that are perfect for students to learn about the Boston Tea Party which was a key moment in the history of the American Revolution as hundreds of people gathered in Boston Harbor to show their defiance against the British government.

This download includes the following worksheets:

  • Boston Tea Party Facts
  • Modified True or False
  • Sons of Liberty
  • Picture Analysis
  • Analyzing Primary Source: John Andrews letter
  • Analyzing Primary Source: Reconciliation Better than Independence
  • Analyzing Primary Source: Janet Schaw, Journal of a Lady of Quality
  • Eye Witness: George Hewes
  • Point of View
  • An Act of Aggression from the Oppressed
  • Justify It!

What happened at the Boston Tea Party?

Sixty colonists in Boston Harbor threw 342 chests of tea into the harbor. They did this to show that they disagreed with the taxation on tea and the East India Company’s monopoly.

How did the Boston Tea Party end?

After the Boston Tea Party, the British king and Parliament passed laws to punish the people of Boston. These laws said that all the ports in Boston would be closed until they paid for all the tea that was lost during the Boston Tea Party.

How much tea was dumped?

On December 16, 1773, over 92,000 pounds of British East India Company tea were dumped into Boston Harbor. Three hundred forty chests onboard three ships – Beaver, Dartmouth, and Eleanor – were axed open as a sign of defiance.

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Link will appear as Boston Tea Party Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 27, 2023

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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