B O S T O N , M A S S A C H U S E T T S

D E C E M B E R 1 6 , 1 7 7 3

The Boston Tea Party

Introduction

Imagine that you are a Pilgrim who has travelled by boat all the way from England to America to start a new life.

Introduction

Now think about how you would feel if the King and government in England were making rules, laws and taxes that affected your life, even though you live so far away!

What might you do to protest the laws and rules that you did not agree with?

Task

During this web quest, students will learn more about the events before, during and after the Boston Tea Party.

Students will watch videos, participate in various interactive websites, read articles and fill out a worksheet documenting their research on this topic.

**Note: keep an eye out for bolded vocabulary words during the web quest, their definitions are on the final slide.

Process

Watch the video below to learn a little bit about the East India Trading Company and King Georgeand how their actions lead to the Boston Tea Party.Listen to learn how colonists protested, boycotted and revolted against the laws and rules they found unfair. Then, answer questions 1-4 on the Boston Tea Party Worksheet.

Boston Tea Party

Process

Click here to complete a jigsaw puzzle of the Boston Tea Party. Scroll about halfway down the screen, press “play” on the puzzle and use the mouse to click and drag the puzzle pieces into place.

When you are finished,

click the mouse and the

finished puzzle picture

will appear on this slide.

Process

Click here to learn more about daily life during the time of the Boston Tea Party. Choose an episode from the drop down menu and watch a video about how things have changed between Revolutionary times and today.

Use the finished the puzzle picture and the episode of “Now and Then” to answer question 5 on the Boston Tea Party Worksheet.

Process

Click here to learn more about the Sons of Liberty who organized the Boston Tea Party.

Watch the video by clicking “Begin” in the lower right hand corner of the screen, and continue through all of the slides by clicking “next” as you finish reading.

Next, read the information printed in white text under the video on the webpage.

Use the information found in this video and text to answer questions 5-8 on your Boston Tea Party worksheet.

Conclusion

Watch this Schoolhouse Rock video to recap what you have learned during this web-quest.

After you have watched the video, answer question 10 on the Boston Tea Party worksheet.

Evaluation

Students are expected to complete the Boston Tea Party worksheet according to the following rubric:

Extension

If you are interested in learning more about the Boston Tea Party, you can visit the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. The museum includes a full exhibit about the Boston Tea Party and even allows visitors to reenact this historical event!

Vocabulary

East India Trading Company: the most prominent import company in both England and the colonies

King George: King of England during the Boston Tea Party

Protest: an expression of disapproval or objection

Boycott: to stop buying or using

Revolt: to rise against authority

Revolutionary Times: the period of time in history leading up to and during the American Revolution

Sons of Liberty: A patriotic society that opposed the Stamp Act, lead the Boston Tea Party and supported American independence

Teacher Resources

Note: In order to complete this web quest, students must be provided with a copy of the Boston Tea Party Worksheet as well as a computer with internet access and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Differentiation: The final product– the worksheet– is differentiated for several levels. Struggling scholars- this worksheet has less questions and

includes multiple choice and fill in the blank options

Average scholars- this worksheet includes mostly short answer questions that requires focus during the webquest

High achieving scholars- this worksheet includes all short answer questions and several extension activities.