American Tempest: How the Boston Tea Party Sparked A Revolution

Harlow Unger presented a history of the Boston Tea Party, which occurred on December 16, 1773. The author reports that the demonstration against the British collection of import duties was composed “mostly of smugglers and tax evaders” and led by lawyer James Otis, Jr., and brewer Sam Adams. Mr. Unger recounts that the protests spread throughout the country and included assaults against opponents of the protests, which spurred George Washington to declare the protesters vandals.