Boston 1773: The Destruction of the Tea

Boston 1773: The Destruction of the Tea

Inquiry Question 1: How did social, economic, and political factors contribute to the events of the Boston Tea Party?

Inquiry Question 2: How did the reactions to the Boston Tea Party demonstrate the growing divisions between the various interested parties in the political and economic future of the American colonies?

    Source Set
    For Teachers
    Additional Resources
    Map of Boston Harbor (1775)

    The Evolving Legacy of Crispus Attucks, 1770-1863

    The Evolving Legacy of Crispus Attucks, 1770-1863

    Inquiry Question 1: In what ways have people of color been both present for and critical actors in turning points in American history? 


    Inquiry Question 2: How and why has public memory of the Boston Massacre changed over time? In what ways do available evidence and point of view impact interpretations of historical events?

      Source Set
      For Teachers
      Additional Resources

      Investigating Multiple Perspectives on the Boston Massacre

      Investigating Multiple Perspectives on the Boston Massacre

      Inquiry Question 1: Although we don't know exactly what happened the night of March 5, 1770, what does the existing evidence from the Boston Massacre teach us about pre-Revolutionary America?

      Inquiry Question 2: In what ways did people's political beliefs, social networks, and lived experience shape their understanding of the Boston Massacre?

        Source Set
        For Teachers
        Additional Resources
        Video

        Massachusetts Loyalists: Revolution and Exile

        Massachusetts Loyalists: Revolution and Exile

        Inquiry Question 1: Why did some colonists remain loyal to Britain during the Revolution?

        Inquiry Question 2: What consequences did loyal colonists face?

        Background reading for students

         

        Choosing Sides in the Revolutionary War: The Loyalists

          Source Set
          For Teachers
          Additional Resources

          Emancipation in 18th century Massachusetts

          Emancipation in Massachusetts

          Inquiry Question: What tactics did enslaved people in Massachusetts in the 1700s use to free themselves?

            Source Set
            For Teachers
            Additional Resources

            "A Great Public Nuisance": Boston's segregated schools in the mid-1800s

            "A Great Public Nuisance": Boston's segregated schools in the mid-1800s

            Inquiry Question 1: Prior to 1855, in what ways did segregated schools harm Black children in Boston?

            Inquiry Question 2: What actions did Black families take to advocate for integration?

              Source Set
              For Teachers
              Additional Resources

              Civil War Recruitment Posters

              Civil War Recruitment Posters

              Inquiry Question: What tactics did the authors of the Massachusetts recruitment posters use to persuade their audiences?

                Source Set
                For Teachers
                Additional Resources

                Analyzing the Meaning and Legacy of the Declaration of Independence

                Analyzing the Meaning and Legacy of the Declaration of Independence

                Inquiry Question 1: According to the Declaration of Independence, why did the colonies declare independence from Great Britain?

                Inquiry Question 2: In what ways did individuals use the Declaration of Independence to argue for the end of slavery?

                  Source Set
                  For Teachers
                  Additional Resources

                  Women Debate the Right to Vote

                  Women Debate the Right to Vote

                  Inquiry Question 1: What claims did women make in support of and in opposition to suffrage?

                  Inquiry Question 2: Who were they trying to persuade?

                  In this source set, you will analyze cartoons, flyers, and graphs to understand the perspectives of suffragists and anti-suffragists in Massachusetts (and beyond) during the 1910s.

                    Source Set
                    For Teachers
                    Additional Resources

                    Anthony Burns and the Fugitive Slave Act

                    Anthony Burns and the Fugitive Slave Act

                    Students will trace Anthony Burns’ journey to freedom, and the growth of abolitionism in 1850s Boston, using broadsides, letters, and artifacts.

                    Inquiry Question 1: What was the impact of the Fugitive Slave Act on freedom seekers?

                    Inquiry Question 2: Who resisted the law, and how?

                      Source Set
                      For Teachers
                      Additional Resources