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National Parks of Boston Special Boston Tea Party 250th Programming
December 17, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
On December 17, 2023, join the National Parks of Boston at the Great Hall in Faneuil Hall for compelling reenactments of two historic meetings to commemorate the landmark 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.
Inspired by real words spoken in Faneuil Hall and around Boston, hear arguments about destruction of private property, historical memory, and the role of a citizen when facing injustice. Debate with your fellow audience members and vote on the issue. Make your voice be heard!
Both programs are free, open to the public for all ages, and last 30-45 minutes.
Response to the Destruction of the Tea (1:00pm)
On December 16, 1773, Bostonians boarded three tea ships at Griffins Wharf and dumped over 300 chests of tea into the harbor to protest a tax placed upon tea. In response to the destruction of over 90,000 pounds of East India Company Property, Parliament passed the Coercive Acts which closed the Port of Boston until the tea was paid for.
In May of 1774 Bostonians gathered in the Great Hall in Faneuil Hall to vote on their response to the closing of the Port of Boston. Should Bostonians vote to pay for the destroyed private property and reopen the port? Or should they endorse a boycott of British goods and continue protesting Parliament?
1873 Women’s Tea Party (3:00pm)
On December 15, 1873, Boston’s suffragists held a massive rally in the Great Hall in Faneuil Hall. The New England Women’s Suffrage Association organized the “Woman’s Tea Party” nearly 100 years after the Boston Tea Party to advocate for women to gain the right to vote. Leading suffragists, who saw themselves as true inheritors of the legacy of the American Revolution, delivered rousing speeches to a crowd of more than three thousand.
At the conclusion of the meeting, those in attendance voted on a resolution. Should they continue to fight for women’s suffrage?
Visit: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/boston-tea-party-250.htm#:~:text=Celebrate%20the%20250th%20anniversary%20of,of%20the%20Boston%20Tea%20Party. for more information.