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Parliament passes the Tea Act, retaining a three pence per pound tax on tea sold in the American colonies
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The East India Company announces the selection of tea consignees, those merchants who will be allowed to sell tea. Seven are chosen from Boston, all are Loyalists.
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Boston’s North End Caucus demands, unsuccessfully, that the tea consignees resign at noon under the Liberty Tree.
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Over 1,000 gather in a town meeting at Faneuil Hall. Committees are formed to call on tea consignees and demand their resignation.
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The Dartmouth, the first of the tea ships, arrives in Boston Harbor. Twenty days from this date the cargo must be unloaded and the tax paid or the ship and cargo can be seized by customs officials.
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The “Body of the People” meet at the Old South Meeting House. This meeting is not an official town meeting, but instead includes participants from outlying towns as well. The large meeting moves from Faneuil Hall to the Old South Meeting House. The meeting resolves the tea must not be unloaded, but instead sent back to England.
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Artist John Singleton Copley tries to arrange a compromise between the “Body of the People” and the consignees. The consignees offer to store the tea, but the meeting at Old South finds that offer unacceptable.
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Boston learns that tea consignees in Philadelphia and New York have resigned.
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Second meeting of the Body of the People is held at the Old South Meeting House. The meeting demands Francis Rotch, owner of the tea ship Dartmouth, to request clearance to leave from custom officials. Clearance is denied.
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Deadline for resolving the issue is midnight this night. A third meeting of the Body of the People gathers at the Old South Meeting House. The crowd is estimated at 5,000 – 7,000 people. Meeting at Old South hears of Rotch’s failed mission, orders him to request pass to remove ship from harbor from Governor Hutchinson.
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Between 6:00 and 9:00 P.M. 340 chests of tea are destroyed and thrown from the tea ships into the harbor.
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Rotch goes to Governor Hutchinson’s in Milton, MA, and is denied his request for a pass. Upon reporting this at Old South, Samuel Adams declares, “This meeting can do nothing more to save the country.” War whoops are heard at the Old South doors, and the meeting adjourns.
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King George III receives first news of the Boston Tea Party. Parliament decides to punish Boston.
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The Boston Port Bill, closing Boston to ocean traffic until the destroyed tea is paid for, is passed by Parliament
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Town meeting held in Boston. Those attending vote to refuse to pay for destroyed tea.
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Boston Port Bill goes into effect. o September 5 – First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia.
