History glossary
Boston Tea Party
the December 1773 protest in which colonists destroyed tea in Boston Harbor to resist British tea policy.
- Category
- Protest
- Region
- Massachusetts
- Date range
- 1773
What it means
The Boston Tea Party was a protest against British tea policy and the East India Company's privileged position. Colonists boarded ships in Boston Harbor and dumped tea into the water, prompting Britain to punish Massachusetts with coercive legislation.
