Old South Meeting House © Steve Dunwwell
December 16, 1773 – A great crowd gathered at the Old South Meeting House to hear speeches protesting new taxes on imports, including tea. Shouting “Boston harbor a tea party tonight,” they went down to the nearby docks. Thinly disguised as “Mohawks”, fifty men boarded three East India ships – Dartmouth, Beaver and Eleanor. Breaking open 342 chests of imported tea, they dumped the lot into the harbor. The “Intolerable Acts” soon followed as punishment.
242 years ago this week. December 16, 1773 – A great crowd gathered at the Old South Meeting House to hear speeches protesting new taxes on imports, including tea. Shouting “Boston harbor a tea party tonight,” they went down to the nearby docks. Thinly disguised as “Mohawks”, fifty men boarded three East India ships – Dartmouth, Beaver and Eleanor. Breaking open 342 chests of imported tea, they dumped the lot into the harbor. The “Intolerable Acts” soon followed as punishment.
Boston Common, autumn, looking East. The Freedom Trail starts at the Visitors Center, near the corner of Park St. and Tremont St., (top left in this view)
The Bunker Hill Monument, commemorating the Battle on June 17th, 1775.
Paul Revere © Steve Dunwell
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill, as painted by John Trumbull. General Warren, the great patriot doctor, lies mortally wounded on the left. Patriot forces moved onto Bunker & Breed’s Hills in Charlestown the night before. The British regulars struggled to force them off these ramparts, while shelling the peninsula. The Patriot survivors retreated late in the afternoon, while the Regulars counted their dead and wounded. This painting is part of the magnificent Trumbull collection at Yale University.
USS Constitution prepares to enter the drydock, at 12:30AM May 20. The booms are off, the cannons are off, much of the rigging has been removed, and the ship floats much higher than usual.
Revere statue by Cyrus Dallin
Celebrating Paul Revere’s midnight ride on April 18th, 1775, this statue stands near Old North Church in Boston’s North End. The famous ride began with “two if by sea” and ended near Lexington, early on the 19th. Patriot’s Day, and the Boston Marathon, take place on the monday following.
Old State House, snow © Steve Dunwell
The Boston Massacre occurred on a snowy evening, March 5, 1770, in front of the Old State House. Troops occupying Boston to enforce the new British taxes fired into a mob of about sixty rowdy Bostonians, wounding eight and killing five. Crispus Attucks, an African-american, was among the first to die.
Gun Deck, USS Constitution, by Google-Street View
Interior views of “Old Ironsides” USS Constitution are now available on Google Street View, so you can look around, up and down, and visit below decks on this amazing ship. The quality is excellent. Go to www.maps.google.com and search for “USS Constitution, Boston, MA”, then click “street view”…a great way to visit the ship before it goes into drydock for a 3 year rehab.