Joshua Wyeth could have been arrested or killed for what he did on December 16, 1773. On that cold night, the teen snuck into Boston Harbor in Massachusetts. He was part of a surprise attack. 

Joshua and about 100 other people crept aboard three ships docked in the harbor. They smashed open more than 300 chests of tea and dumped them into the water. That night became known as the Boston Tea Party. It changed the future of America.

Joshua Wyeth could have been arrested or killed for what he did. The date was December 16, 1773. On that cold night, the teen snuck into Boston Harbor in Massachusetts. He was part of a surprise attack. 

Joshua and about 100 other people crept aboard three ships docked in the harbor. They smashed open more than 300 chests of tea. Then they dumped them into the water. That night became known as the Boston Tea Party. It changed the future of America.

At the time, the United States did not yet exist. America was made up of 13 Colonies ruled by Great Britain. Massachusetts was one of them.

Many people who lived in the Colonies were angry. Great Britain forced the colonists to pay taxes. They paid extra fees on items they used every day, like sugar, paper, and tea.

The United States did not yet exist at the time. America was made up of 13 Colonies. They were ruled by Great Britain. Massachusetts was one of them.

Many people who lived in the Colonies were angry. Great Britain forced the colonists to pay taxes. They paid extra fees on items they used every day. That included sugar, paper, and tea.

^{Source: Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum}

Though Great Britain collected the colonists’ money, it didn’t give them a say in how the government was run. Many colonists wanted to break free from Great Britain.

To protest the taxes, many colonists refused to buy British tea. One British company started losing money. So in May 1773, Britain passed the Tea Act. It allowed the British company to sell its tea in the Colonies at very low prices. But the law didn’t change the colonists’ minds or make them want to buy the tea. They saw the Tea Act as another way for Great Britain to control them.

^{Source: Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum}

Great Britain collected the colonists’ money. But it didn’t give colonists a say in how the government was run. Many wanted to break free from Great Britain.

Many colonists decided to protest the taxes. They refused to buy British tea. One British company started losing money. So in May 1773, Britain passed the Tea Act. 

It allowed the British company to sell its tea in the Colonies at very low prices. But the law didn’t change the colonists’ minds. They didn’t want to buy the tea. They saw the Tea Act as another way for Great Britain to control them.

The British were furious. To punish the colonists, Great Britain passed new harsh laws. One law stopped food from entering Boston until the colonists paid for the destroyed tea. 

These new laws sparked the colonists to fight for freedom. In April 1775, the first shots of the American Revolution were fired near Boston. Joshua joined the fighting that summer.

Six years later, the colonists defeated Great Britain. They went on to form the United States.

The British were furious. They wanted to punish the colonists. So they passed new harsh laws. One law stopped food from entering Boston until the colonists paid for the destroyed tea. 

These new laws sparked the colonists to fight for freedom. In April 1775, the first shots of the American Revolution were fired near Boston. Joshua joined the fighting that summer.

The colonists defeated Great Britain six years later. They went on to form the United States.