Over the next few years, ongoing celebrations will commemorate the 250th anniversary of America’s existence as an independent nation. There are still two and a half years to go before the U. S. celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but there is still so much to remember and relish concerning what led to that signing and what happened in its aftermath. On Dec. 16, of this year the city of Boston, Massachusetts got the string of celebrations started with the commemoration of the Boston Tea Party.
Boston was the home of the great American drama 250 years ago when its Sons of Liberty often took the lead roles. This year, the reenactment drama was broken into five acts, reliving the moments that officially launched the colonies into revolution. The first of those acts took place in Faneuil Hall where famous Founding Fathers, like Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Dr. Joseph Warren, and Paul Revere, assembled and debated what to do about the Tea Act and the unwanted crates of tea resting aboard three ships in the Boston Harbor. Before a packed house, the actors played their roles in riveting fashion, conjuring up the spirit of that history-altering moment.
As the Patriots and Loyalists debated before the crowd, the audience played a role as well, cheering on statements of revolutionary sentiment, hissing and booing at Loyalists and statements in favor of unloading the tea, as well as yelling “aye” in unison when given the chance to second motions. The first act of the semiquincentennial celebration of the Boston Tea Party lasted about 90 minutes and also provided reflections of the centennial (1873) and bicentennial (1973) celebrations.
When the meeting at Faneuil Hall adjourned, the crowd of actors and spectators conducted themselves toward the Old South Meeting House at 310 Washington St. This “Downtown Crossing” garnered much attention from Bostonians and tourists alike, as hundreds filled the streets. The actors assembled at the famous Old South Meeting House. After further dramatized debates, Samuel Adams stood before the crowd and stated, “This meeting can do nothing more to save the country.” Adams’ statement is believed to have been a code for the Sons of Liberty and those aimed at destroying the tea, to make their way to Griffin’s Wharf and board the ships.
By this time, just as it was 250 years ago, the crowd that had congregated in response to the “tea crisis” ballooned. On this night, Dec. 16, 2023, the crowd of people found themselves shoulder-to-shoulder by the thousands marching toward the harbor in anticipation of the night’s final act in the great American drama: the destruction of the tea.
Once the mass of people ventured the half-mile distance to the harbor, they were greeted by thousands hoping to get a peek and witness a replay of history. They stood on bleachers arranged by event planners, along the Evelyn Moakley and Congress Street bridges, across the river at Martin’s Park, behind large windows at the InterContinental Boston Hotel, along the harbor walk, and everywhere in between.
The crowd hit a fever pitch when the Sons of Liberty began tossing the East India Company’s tea into the harbor. When the tea was finally dumped―a lengthy event (the actual event took about three and a half hours)―several women in period dress, among them Phillis Wheatley and Ann Bradlee, began narrating the event and its aftermath. The periodic cries for liberty and justice by the narrators resulted in roars from the enthusiastic crowd.
O’Brien added that the size of the crowd was encouraging. He mentioned with so much division shown on the news lately, one might think Americans would be less than enthusiastic about their history.
Big Crowd
The appreciation for its relevance was not only reflected in the large crowds, which O’Brien approximated between 12,000 and 15,000, but also in those who dedicated their time and effort to putting the event together, as well as those who spent hard earned money to pay for their period dress, muskets, and more in order to replicate the period and the moments accurately.
Revolution 250 will be part of the ongoing events leading up to July 1776. Lane added that this year’s 250th Boston Tea Party Anniversary celebration set the standard for the future events.
For Bostonians and Americans in general, these celebrations, much like how they were in their original form 250 years ago, are a chance to come together and celebrate a national heritage unlike any other in history.
“It gives me a lot of hope that people intrinsically want to celebrate what unites us,” O’Brien said.
