The story behind the Boston Tea Party - Ben Labaree

Discover what led American colonists in 1773 to toss tea into the Boston Harbor in what became known as the Boston Tea Party.
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Before the Revolutionary War, American colonists were taxed heavily for importing tea from Britain. The colonists, not fans of "taxation without representation", reacted by dumping tea into the Boston Harbor, a night now known as the Boston Tea Party. Ben Labaree gets into the nitty-gritty of that famous revolutionary act.
Lesson by Ben Labaree, animation by Nick Fox-Gieg Animation.
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View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/the-story-...

[@thatguy7155]

Modern smuggling: drugs, human, weapon. Smuggling in the 1700s : *TEA*

[@scribbledwords9956]

jsjjs

[@ibk2437]

theres smuggling of kfc in some countries, im not joking

[@zkingsalsa]

i read this as human weapons

[@Time12345A]

Humans were being sold legally back then 😅

[@Davisvrj2010]

An we fought over tea

[@vanessacardui8487]

And so they switched to coffee.

[@akshaygupta6711]

Actually, they really switched to coffee as a sign of Patriotism

[@TheRedArrowExpress]

No. They switched to covfefe.

[@iamamazinganssmart6345]

I hate coffee for sum reason

[@icypanther1539]

Hahahah

[@grim_gravy]

Lol

[@guziman1963]

and then we switched to coffee

[@ashleybeverly3884]

Soda too! Also Southerns love our Sweet Iced Tea ❤☕☕☕

[@jamesmylife6578]

Omg yes we love nothing more or we do

[@clairepeace5783]

And that is when I say leave England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 alone america 🇺🇸 no Diana is not yours 😂 but the Kardashians are 😂 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@saramae194]

Lol!

[@MrThatguy1338]

Not in the south lol we love our sweet tea.

[@ay0vee978]

Britian: *makes tea cheaper than the smuggled dutch tea* American Colonies: This is an Avengers level threat

[@Happymz]

Right

[@darkmooneternal1066]

Yep

[@Happymz]

Ohh i get it. Because Britain was making tea cheaper, it destoryed the sales of the local farmers so then they attacked?? Idk

[@darkmooneternal1066]

Ok

[@heehee-yt2gb]

@@Happymz yeah, they made the tea cheaper and the taxes higher which left them in debt or smth :/

[@retrosad]

"How'd you defeat the British? We deployed the tactical tea boxes, and the British just drank the sea" As a British person, I thought the Boston tea party was the most hilarious thing I've heard of in a while

[@theducknamednewepicla9507]

Yes so funi

[@b0nzaiih761]

we dont like you tea bags America is better than you. Imagine going into national debt and loosing every war u had with us Americans. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAH

[@retrosad]

@@b0nzaiih761 how much was your last hospital visit? And that was what... 200 years ago almost? Only 50 years ago you lost to some tree dwelling rice farmers, and a few years ago to some impoverished terrorists

[@deadmanwalking915]

@@retrosad ah it’s so revitalizing to know that you’re still upset over 1776. All that health care and you guys still have the worst dental care on the planet lol. Pud

[@cartrellsplunge1525]

I heard that the Harvard smelled like tea for quite a long time

[@mladen89ftn]

You forgot to mention why some of them were dressed as native americans. Basically, it was so that they couldn't be recognized later, and if thing got too out-of- hand, they could blame everything on the Indians. So much for bravery....

[@miko7271977]

They also made Native Language and culture illegal for 100 years!

[@DepravedMorgath]

Don't forget that it was an "American" icon and not a British one.

[@clairex4132]

mladen89ftn It wasn’t so that they “couldn’t be recognized”...obviously if you saw one of your friends dressed as a native american you wouldn’t think OMG ITS A NATIVE AMERICAN!! It was to show that they were now true Americans and should be treated as such

[@kworca2088]

It was so that no individuals could be recognized, and be charged.

[@seanbryant3185]

That's smart, tbh.

[@AbhishekRoyscis]

So basically tea's responsible for the independence of America. VIVA LA THE!

[@Aim4sixmeals]

NO.

[@AbhishekRoyscis]

Jordanshoes are the best "NO"? What was that?

[@dkupke]

Not really. It was the lack of representation.

[@bornyesterday21]

... and the sinking of the Titanic.

[@packersfanforlife7903]

@@dkupke very true. The most ironic thing about it all though was most British people also had barely any representation in Parliament too as at the time the MP's were only voted in by the rich folk. So over 3/4 of the British also lacked what the Colonists lacked. Just a nice Historical Fact.

[@billyjohnson3674]

They showed the Boston Tea Party as loud and full of people surrounding the harbor watching the 50 "Native Americans" throwing the tea over. The event was actually pretty quiet and relaxed. The 50 men silently went down to the harbor, went to the ships, took any crew prisoner that were there, cut the lock off to the ships cargo hold, threw the tea overboard, replaced the lock, set the crew free, and moved out into the night. It was peaceful, quiet, and stealthy. I bet Boston's water supply tasted like tea for the whole Revolution.

[@BobSacamano666]

If they were into drinking ocean water.

[@TheCatheterCozy]

I just did this mission in Assassins Creed 3 😂

[@KXYAA]

2:27 *Bro why is nobody talking about that guy, I feel like he is trying to do a Tik Tok dance-*

[@Im_CD13]

to me it looks like hes doin a potty dance :P

[@toulaykepri9103]

i came to the comment section to see if anyone said anything lol

[@purplebunny7175]

😂😂😂

[@MuradBeybalaev]

"The Americans' beloved tea" must sound so alien to modern 'muricans.

[@Bunniebunzerton]

lol thats pretty accurate

[@jamesd7495]

Not in the south. We love tea down here lol

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

South biotch.

[@ViperoK]

@@jamesd7495 true sweet tea is a godsend

[@ampellegrino7072]

Bruh you just saved me from my exam 😂😂😂

[@ciara7474]

Right lol

[@onyour_marky]

Lol

[@sivaneswarypremnath9852]

Sam here😂😅

[@saachinsbajwa3326]

Same

[@doreenmahon7179]

@Zoe Shewell no hes called sam

[@Diesense]

Is this what Americans are talking about when they say “are you still mad about the tea?” 🤔

[@cdxii-zanemmv46]

Yes I think

[@SaxandRelax]

Yup 🇺🇸

[@ViperoK]

yes

[@BT-7274.]

Yes

[@stijnvandevyver7958]

Good timing. I just wanted to learn more about the boston tea party because i just completeed that part in AC 3.

[@therankingworld7627]

wow, what you up to nowadays??

[@kianashinaimusic]

At 2:30, Sam Adams legit just started dancing provocatively hoping that the townspeople would be swayed by his flowing movements and sassy energy. Even got some knee action up in there.

[@aspenwatson6169]

Thank you so much! Always can count on TED-Ed with homework assignments.

[@TimeCenaPSW]

Who else is here after Minneapolis riots?

[@RobbieEctor]

They literally fought over tea and can’t understand why we are fighting for lives. This is beyond me.

[@gravesidepoet5405]

Rainbow Rocket not even close to a comparison

[@Cheyne_TetraMFG]

Graveside Poet “No taxation without representation” and “We deserve to live without fear of death on a daily basis” are closer than you think

[@finchborat]

​@@RobbieEctor The Boston Tea Party people targeted a company that was responsible for the unpopular tea tax. The rioters and looters targeted businesses that had nothing to do with Floyd's death.

[@RobbieEctor]

finchborat well obviously this was over 200 years ago. You missed the point of my argument. Tea is much more minuscule than actual lives yet this type of rebellion is celebrated and today we are condemned.

[@hanzup4117]

The Americans also wanted to expand further west. But the British wouldn't allow it because they had a non aggression pact with the native Americans.

[@packersfanforlife7903]

Yeah that was on of the reasons. The Proclamation Line can be said it was the first signs of the Revolution as most of the Colonists ignored the line anyway and just moved West

[@samsmith92samsmith]

Interesting how Tax in the United Kingdom was considerably higher than in the American colonies. And how the vast vast majority British taxpayers were not voters, thus did not elect representatives in the British Parliament either.

[@MikeGreenwood51]

The British gave every possible concession to the colonists removing tax on everything except British Tea. In Britian taxes kept increasing. Brick tax, chimney tax, halvf tax, window tax. It was how terraced housing came in to being so people could share a wall of bricks and chimnies and divide the costs betweem them..

[@benkenobi5128]

I'm surprised the British people didn't throw over the government at one point, but then again British people are much more sophisticated than there American counterparts...

[@sharpe22]

now i want to go to BOSTON, drink TEA, and have a PARTY. Thanks for this helps me finish my hmwk ;)

[@mariellasalazar562]

Jajajaja

[@dontex7]

Now im free to drink my Lipton tea without throwing it in the sea....hey that rhymed lol😏😀😀👌

[@marimeow6]

pov: you're in school and your teacher put this for class work.

[@marimeow6]

@Susan Solis Perez same I wish I can burn my school down

[@supunipallemulle7740]

am i weird to say that i searched this out of curiosity.

[@marimeow6]

@@supunipallemulle7740 ok

[@youisstupid2586]

2:28 he’s naynaying on the haters lol.

[@tholluxthimp3144]

Let me tell you, I screamed 💀

[@satanicconservative1855]

Short and to the point. Thank you. I'm watching that 5 hour doc on the president's and needed this real quick.

[@andins761]

2:27 ........ what is happening

[@matheannetics9333]

omg indeed 😹😹😹😹

[@shanty138]

Andin Schvaneveldt simultaneous seizures? 😂

[@kidgamerr844]

@@shanty138 indeed

[@shyguy7711]

LOL

[@_tideaina]

When I was younger, I thought the Boston tea party was an actually tea party that held in Boston. Like a red carpet event for drinking tea

[@navymirror_]

lmaooo me too

[@charliebradlyn5313]

Didn’t we all?

[@georgecampbell9638]

Me too. But nope, they just threw the dang tea into the water

[@mississippiball1003]

Ah yes the Boston tea party My favorite part

[@zion2957]

I have to make a presentation about this for school tomorrow, just started :D

[@potatokiddo]

1763: *tea* 2021: *coffee*

[@stevegamingrocks100]

"spill the tea, sis" - boston tea party

[@infraredshadows3119]

The video did not have enough Mountain Dew and Doritos in it Also needs more illuminati jokes

[@TheDeclan900]

I bet you eat enough of them

[@mohammeddehani8284]

declanw900 epic roast

[@plumpy_space_princess]

I'm still confused, though 😔

[@joeyysborntovlog6813]

Same

[@Endye__]

same the narrators voice made me tired

[@ramal5708]

Tea was more popular than narcotics to smuggle back in the day

[@sonicexpert986]

He left out the part where Connor totally murdered like 100 British troops while the colonists destroyed tea.

[@RimaRimy]

That really helped a lot, thank you :)

[@ethancrawford3434]

xD wow And I thought fighting with my siblings over candy was bad!

[@goldntlokwana4836]

🤣

[@adriaanbarnard7046]

My son wants me to tell everyone that his birthday is December 16th, the day the Boston Tea Party took place.

[@DisciplesOnCampus]

Very helpful video, I finally understand what happened!

[@velelimaka9040]

wow American drinked tea ? I thought they only drinks soda which have a lot suger

[@cheriomey]

Do you know what grammer is?

[@grim_gravy]

@@cheriomey most people spell stuff wrong on the InTeRnEt so that it triggers people like you lol

[@antidemonrat2489]

@@grim_gravy, chill out lol

[@bh7090]

Starlight that’s incorrect grammar

[@AlexBigShid]

10/10 would google translate again.

[@syb3n]

I was at this party and I can say it was very nice😁I helped moving the tea

[@airforce2175]

Thanks you a lot, I love this content.

[@MsSuperKatz]

Thanks for this! Now I can understand the Outlander episode I'm watching!

[@LancesArmorStriking]

Apparently Captain Kirk is narrating this story.

[@spacedoubt15]

+LancesArmorStriking I was scrolling down ...looking for this comment.

[@JonatasAdoM]

WOW you're right!

[@unrescued]

hahaha glad I wasn’t the only one!

[@MikeGreenwood51]

Listen to him after he's had a nice cuppa tea.

[@fionagregory5334]

It is not him

[@yanpinghuang608]

Thank you!

[@Prelude610]

The role and influence of the East India company needs to be looked into more here. There are interesting parallels to current events.

[@jabbawoki2353]

Britz had 3 quarters of India making it for them, so I don't think it really mattered, and India still do produce it, and britain is still one of the major consumers/buyers with fingers still in the scones...

[@ghosted9903]

And this is why we drink coffee now

[@officialegemen]

Dedication to one’s rights is something to behold

[@melodramaticly]

Happy 248 anniversary of tea party December 16th 1773

[@danielledekker3843]

Thanks this video helped me a lot

[@dkupke]

It kind of annoys me that so many modern Americans think our colonial ancestors revolted against the British crown because they're taxes were too high-because it is a load of bunk.

[@dkupke]

+TheLilacWitch They're taxes were the lowest in the British Empire. The key grievance was those taxes being imposed without them having any say in the matter.

[@krakrakrala]

What program did they use for the animation? Anyone knows?

[@sebastianamado8404]

Very clear!!

[@440mopar5]

If they really knew who started the Boston Tea Party, They'd really be pissed 🤣🤣

[@pallavipallavi839]

the governer was danceing on 2:30

[@gratedchrese]

*I came here from Online School-*

[@dmareonbuildsgg1451]

Me to

[@dinodurrp6120]

Same

[@megaTRISMAN]

Great video! Just one minor annoyance.. The Ducth flag used is a VOC flag, which is a flag representing the Dutch colonies in the East-Indies. The Dutch colonies in America however, used the WIC flag. Other than that this was a great video! Love your work! :)

[@melanin4735]

You missed the part with them throwing the tea overboard

[@Xylophone08]

this is just a book mark for me 1:34

[@SaintNicRants]

Boston Tea Party...still a better love story than Twilight

[@kierasimpson3945]

thank you. this is my presentation subject.

[@nicolerawson6483]

Wow they really spilled the tea

[@fazenutellavlogs4502]

2:32 hes dancing

[@matheannetics9333]

I bet he is, and his audience seems ...disliking it 😿

[@benkenobi5128]

U.S.A. Your welcome for starting a revolution, without us, there would be no "YOU" -Everyone from Massachusetts

[@Athrunwong]

* Sips tea angrily *

[@macflod]

Wow!!! This is a great inspirational story, apart from the killings! I never heard this before! However it illustrates how the people had had enough!!! In Britain, this would never happen, deference is too widespread here! The people will do what their masters tell them. I admire how the french have national strikes and don’t put up with BS from their government! Its this attitude that gave rise to the united states independence and today their worship of freedom! However i do not think any of us are truly free.

[@EzraMerr]

Brits don't pay as much tax on CGT, import, duties, as much as Americans do right now lmao

[@frogizel2998]

Lack of amenity causes a rebellion. I learned this from Civilization 6.

[@anguswolstenholme6915]

Amazing video thanks

[@kiteman4348]

I remember having this in school

[@tannerwhalen3933]

Does that mean if we throw all existing candy in the world in an ocean, the kids that are 9 and younger will revolt?

[@DejuanJohn]

All this over some damn tea 😂

[@Happy-uy5wc]

The secret of how Samuel Adams could be both at the town hall meeting and in the harbor, dressed as an Indian, tossing tea into the harbor, is that half the town was named Samuel Adam's at the time. It was a secret town joke to blame everything on Samuel Adams.

[@shandarjan1656]

Amazing.. read few pages and this 4mins video helped me.more

[@lifeafterofficial]

Amazing

[@flyaway1]

this video might have saved me and my history class grade so i thank you but those eyes though BWHAHHA

[@LightForce-rw4kc]

I'm having tea while I watch this

[@ronruddick2972]

Im just sitting here comparing the value of the tea tax to modern sales tax, or the ridiculously high tax on tobacco and liquor.

[@CrazyAlienLady051]

Tea walked so Coffee would run.

[@epicawesome5872]

Tea was only a little aspect in what triggered American revolution

[@jojongovn]

How can I get the script of this lesson? Thank you so much

[@jinryu8858]

so that's the tea

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

Someone spilled the tea on this.

[@bouncingsockjr]

It makes me wonder what the British teach about the American revolution.

[@Nemoticon]

We don't.... why would we??? That's your history not ours. We already have enough history to learn, otherwise we'd never leave ihstory class!!!

[@Udontkno7]

@@Nemoticon I mean, we have to learn about the English Civil War in-depth for 2 weeks.

[@nathan_scofield_ynwa]

We dont

[@whatif3271]

@@Nemoticon i mean technically it's your history too. The American revolution would not exist without Britain being on the opposing side

[@Nemoticon]

@@whatif3271 No, because it changed nothing the Britain, we had colonies all over the world going through many changes. Ultimately it was between people in America who want to stay with the Brits and those who wanted to be indpendant, few Brits were actually involved. To the rest of us, its just a fottnote in history.

[@mlgprincesspeach6328]

This will be perfect for my class

[@mrsicandy23]

thanks for this vid

[@jacksonthesyndicalist2771]

1:22Holland isn't a country now and it wasn't then. It was and is known as the kingdom of the Netherlands and Holland is just a region in the Netherlands.

[@thehumanoddity]

What does that have to do with the video?

[@jacksonthesyndicalist2771]

trevor bgs there was a spot where they said holland refering to the nation i should have put a time stamps will do that now

[@McMuffin103]

Prince Imrahil No where does he say Holland is, or was, a nation.

[@jacksonthesyndicalist2771]

McMuffin103 I put the timestamp of 1:22 for a reason

[@jacksonthesyndicalist2771]

They fly the flag of the netherlands and say holland

[@gabrielavila1580]

thankssssss!!!!!

[@candidequixote6026]

Crispus Attucks! The first person to die during the Boston Massacre. This is what I remember first about it.

[@christopherwhitaker1615]

The captain and all his crew were high on thai stick No wonder they couldn't sail the damn boat straight

[@Seabreeze34]

Thank you

[@ChadyotheWallnut]

Flag of red-white-blue netherlands is the kingdom of the netherlands, VOC was made during the dutch republic, so the flag is orange-white-blue.

[@tusknour92]

I don't know if Arizona counts as actual tea but I drink about 20 cans a week.

[@justingithu389]

When I had tea party I thought it was a party

[@mlgprincesspeach6328]

Justin Githu lol no silly I was a fight

[@OranageFlash]

300 in one year?? lmao mate I'v drank that much just this morning and its only 10:00am! you guys need to up your tea drinking game...

[@miaapple9861]

I just learned this today

[@truongquangvinh7427]

England and America, learn to fight just for the tea boxes =))

[@gilbert525]

there fighting for tea... its like there tea is there children!

[@PNGnations]

Now they switched to coffee

[@akshaygupta6711]

Not all three ships reached Boston, just a ship named DARK MOUTH(342 Boxes) reached and behind Dark mouth were the other two ships.

[@Mister2463]

Loving Patrick's dance for the crowd.

[@MRTOWELRACK]

Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed, and Assassin's Creed. Did I forget anything? Nope. Okay then.