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A Tempest of a Tea Party Trivia Quiz

Every American schoolchild is told the story of the Boston Tea Party. Patriots disguised as Indians started a revolution when they dumped that tea in the Boston Harbor. Test your knowledge of the specifics, and enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by deconstructor5. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
deconstructor5

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
324,925

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
736

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Boston Tea Party was at least partially caused by the tea tax the British imposed on the American colonies. Why did the British impose said tax? Hint

To bail out the East India Company

Because they could

To pay the national debt, to bail out the East India Company, and on principle

Only in order to assert British authority

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Question 2 of 10

2. Why did the Colonists hate the tax so much? Hint

It made tea unaffordable to many

They hated it on principle

It discriminated against tea drinkers (cocoa and coffee were both untaxed)

They thought the British was imposing a tax just because they could

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Question 3 of 10

3. While it is true that the 150 men participating in the Boston Tea Party disguised themselves as Indians, they did NOT do which of the following? Hint

Wear rags, old shawls, and red caps

Smear burnt cork on their faces

Smear ashes on their faces

Smear reddish makeup on their faces and wear war bonnets

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Question 4 of 10

4. When the Colonists started dumping tea in the harbor, the sailors fought them fiercely and the Colonists set the ships ablaze.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. What happened to the tea that was dumped in the harbor? Hint

Piled up like haystacks

Poisoned the fish

Dissolved in the harbor

Sank to the bottom in chests

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Question 6 of 10

6. Samuel Adams was one of the chief instigators of the Boston Tea Party. What was his profession? Hint

Tax Collector

Sailor

Lawyer

Tea Merchant

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Question 7 of 10

7. In U.S. dollars of the early 21st century, what was the approximate value of the tossed tea? Hint

$200,000

$100,000

$1,000,000

$10,000

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Question 8 of 10

8. What kind of tea was dumped in the harbor? Hint

Various types

Oolong

Chinese

Earl Grey

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Question 9 of 10

9. How were the participants of the Boston Tea Party punished? Hint

They were never punished

They were jailed for life

They were publicly executed

They were feathered and tarred

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Question 10 of 10

10. What did Ben Franklin do when he heard of the incident? Hint

He invented a substitute tea made from grape leaves

He ignored it

He wrote an article praising the colonists

He offered to pay for damages

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Nov 16 2024 : Johnmcmanners: 10/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Boston Tea Party was at least partially caused by the tea tax the British imposed on the American colonies. Why did the British impose said tax?

Answer: To pay the national debt, to bail out the East India Company, and on principle

Britain had a national debt of 130 million pounds. No debt that large had been reached before that. Much of the debt came from defending the colonies from other nations, so they felt the colony should shoulder some of the debt. They had tried other taxes before, but the colony had managed to get rid of them.

The tea tax was imposed to show that the British government had the power to enforce taxation on the colonies.

2. Why did the Colonists hate the tax so much?

Answer: They hated it on principle

The tea tax was only three pence per pound of tea. Since the average family drank about 10 pounds of tea a year, it was only thrity pence a year. It was actually cheaper because it let the East India Tea Company sell the tea to them directly, eliminating the middle man. The colonists were just angry about being taxed by the British government.

3. While it is true that the 150 men participating in the Boston Tea Party disguised themselves as Indians, they did NOT do which of the following?

Answer: Smear reddish makeup on their faces and wear war bonnets

Contrary to popular belief, the colonists did not wear Indian headresses at the Boston Tea Party. They did however darken their faces and wear tattered clothes.

4. When the Colonists started dumping tea in the harbor, the sailors fought them fiercely and the Colonists set the ships ablaze.

Answer: False

The sailors actually helped the Colonists lift the tea chests up from the hold. There was no violence, the Colonists did not steal any tea, nothing was broken except for a lock, and it was so orderly that dumping 342 cases of tea took only three hours. The Colonists did consider burning the ships, but they didn't for fear of the fire spreading to the nearby town.

5. What happened to the tea that was dumped in the harbor?

Answer: Piled up like haystacks

It was low tide when the tea was dumped, so the water was only two feet deep. The tea was dumped out of the chests and rested on muck at the bottom of the harbor. As a consequence, the tea piled up like haystacks and sailors pushed the clumps out to sea.

6. Samuel Adams was one of the chief instigators of the Boston Tea Party. What was his profession?

Answer: Tax Collector

Samuel was a tax collector, albeit a very lenient one.

7. In U.S. dollars of the early 21st century, what was the approximate value of the tossed tea?

Answer: $1,000,000

Obviously, adjustments for inflation over such a long period of time should be taken with a huge pinch of salt.

8. What kind of tea was dumped in the harbor?

Answer: Chinese

Tea was not widely cultivated in India till the 19th century. Before that, most tea was Chinese.

9. How were the participants of the Boston Tea Party punished?

Answer: They were never punished

The code of secrecy regarding who was involved in the Boston Tea Party was so strict that even today we are unsure who the participants were. Someone once came forward with a tip that a barber named Eckley was involved. The tipster was identified, stripped naked, and feathered and tarred. No one else ever came forward with information.

10. What did Ben Franklin do when he heard of the incident?

Answer: He offered to pay for damages

Ben Franklin, being a rich and generous, offered to pay for the tea. But he placed a condition on his offer, saying he'd only pay if Britain reopened the harbor. Parliament refused and the tea was never paid for.

Source: Author deconstructor5

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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