Patrick Henry, a Founding Father, makes a speech at the first Continental Congress. It took place at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This mural can be seen in the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
England passed very harsh laws to punish the colonists. The colonists hated being treated this way and wanted things to change. They weren’t willing to wait to long for that to happen either.
Leaders from the different colonies met in the city of Philadelphia in September 1774. This meeting was called the first Continental Congress. It was an important meeting. The Congress decided that the colonists would not put up with England’s unfair laws and taxes. They demanded that things change.
The colonists did not know how England would react to this demand. The colonists feared that England would send its army to fight them. So the colonists put together their own ragtag army. Most men had never been soldiers. They were farmers, lawyers, and merchants. Many were teenagers and some were grandfathers. After a full day’s work, they did military drills, sometimes late into the night.
Patrick Henry, a Founding Father, makes a speech at the first Continental Congress. It took place at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This mural can be seen in the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Colonists prepare to defend themselves by making weapons.
The militia in Massachusetts were called “minutemen” because they were said to be able to fight within a minute’s notice.
In Massachusetts, the men formed militias. They called themselves Minutemen. They were ready and willing to fight on a minute’s notice. They learned to be good shots using muskets. They did not have fancy uniforms and weapons like the English soldiers. But the colonists did not give up.
Unlike the English soldiers, the colonists had a burning desire to win. They were fighting for their liberty. That was an important weapon for them.
As expected, England sent soldiers. In time, this led to a long hard war between England and the colonies. It is known as the American Revolution. There were many bloody battles. Both sides fought hard. Both sides lost soldiers. But in the end, the colonists won the war. They won the right to have a free and independent nation. The United States of America was born. The Boston Tea Party had left its mark on history.
The Boston Tea Party helped set the stage for the American Revolution, which would begin in 1775 at the Battle of Lexington, shown here.
The Boston Tea Party was the event that sparked the agitation that grew into united opposition to England. Supporting Boston became a common cause for all of the colonies. Of course, the colonists taking part in that event never imagined its importance. They were simply demanding fair treatment.