American Centuries

Pocumtuck Valley
Memorial Association

American Centuries > Lessons > History Lessons By Teachers > The Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party

Details

Author
Carol Tafel
Topic/Subject Area
Civil Rights, Protest, Dissent; Gender, Gender Roles, Women; Politics, Government, Law, Civics
Historical Era
Revolutionary America, 1763–1783, The New Nation, 1784–1815
Grade Level
Elementary (K–5)
Creation Date
2010
Last Revision Date
2024

Related items

About This Lesson

Summary and Objective

Students will understand that the Boston Tea Party was a significant event and a prelude to the American Revolution by listening to a first person historical monologue detailing the event and the reasons behind it, engaging in a discussion with the “visitor from the past,” and examining images of the event. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the Boston Tea Party by creating a broadside about the event.

Materials & Resources

Collection Items
Websites

Teaching Plan

  1. Using the first person accounts on the Boston Tea Party Historical Society website, create a historical first person monologue describing the Boston Tea Party; or choose one or more of the first person accounts from the Boston Tea Party Historical Society website to read to the students. Explain the reasons the Sons of Liberty engaged in this protest and provide insight into the economic situation and government of the time.
  2. Engage the students by asking them to examine images of the Boston Tea Party. Ask the students the following questions: What do you think is happening in these pictures? What do you see/notice? Read the Boston Tea Party report and view the tea kettle from the online collection. Ask the following questions: What do you think this is? How is this related to the Boston Tea Party? Why is this important?
  3. Play the colonial song “For the Ladies” and view the lyrics to the song “Young Ladies in Town/Address to the Ladies” (see links in the Materials & Resources section). What is being asked of the ladies. Why? What does this address have to do with the Boston Tea Party?
  4. Display the broadside “Proclamation For Proroguing the General Court”. Explain the purpose of the broadside in colonial times.
  5. Students will create a broadside about the Boston Tea Party. The broadside should include a headline, an illustration, and a short narrative describing the event.