Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Boston Tea Party, The

BOSTON TEA PARTY, THE, a famous exploit preceding the American Revolution. In order to make as emphatic a protest as possible against the British crown's policy of taxing imports, a party of Bostonians, disguised as Indians, threw into the water on the night of Dec. 16, 1773, the cargoes of three English tea ships that had just arrived in the harbor. Enraged at this act, Parliament passed (March, 1774) the Boston Port Bill, taking away from that town the privileges of a port of entry from June 1, 1774, on. This bill aroused much indignation in the colonies and was an important factor in precipitating the outbreak of hostilities.