Before “no taxation without representation” became a rallying cry, tea and coffee were already simmering at the heart of colonial life. In 18th-century America, what people drank wasn’t just about taste — it reflected class, culture, and eventually, politics.
In the early 1700s, tea was the drink of refinemen, imported from China and served in delicate porcelain cups. It arrived through the ports of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston, carried in crates stamped with the mark of the British East India Company. Wealthier colonists displayed tea tables, silver strainers, and ornate teapots as symbols of gentility.
Coffee, meanwhile, arrived from the Caribbean and South America. It was often roasted at home, its earthy aroma filling kitchens from Virginia to New England. While tea was tied to polite society, coffee was practical — easier to store and less fragile. Both drinks required imported sugar, often produced by enslaved labor on West Indian plantations — an early reminder of how global trade intertwined with colonial life.
By 1770, British troops occupied Boston to enforce unpopular taxes imposed by Parliament. Resentment simmered. On the cold evening of March 5, 1770, a crowd of angry colonists taunted soldiers guarding the Customs House on King Street (now State Street). Amid shouts and thrown snowballs, someone shouted “Fire!” The soldiers discharged their muskets, killing five men, including Crispus Attucks, a sailor of African and Native descent who became the first martyr of the Revolution.
Patriot leaders like Paul Revere and Samuel Adams seized on the tragedy, publishing dramatic engravings that spread outrage across the colonies. Although lawyer John Adamsdefended the soldiers to ensure a fair trial, the “Boston Massacre” became a rallying cry against tyranny.
Famous Paul Revere engraving of the Boston Massacre om Library of Congress, in the public domain.
🕊 Freedom Trail Stop:
Old State House – A cobblestone circle outside marks where the massacre occurred. Inside, the museum tells the story through eyewitness accounts, artifacts, and Revere’s engraving.
Three years later, new taxes again stirred protest. The Tea Act of 1773 granted the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales, undercutting local merchants. To the colonists, it wasn’t about the price of tea—it was about taxation without representation.
On the night of December 16, 1773, members of the Sons of Liberty, some disguised as Mohawk Indians, boarded ships at Griffin’s Wharf. In just three hours, they dumped 342 chests of British tea—worth more than $1 million today—into the harbor.
Engraving by E. Newberry, 1789. New York Public Library.
The daring act provoked Parliament’s fury. The Coercive Acts, known in America as the Intolerable Acts, closed Boston’s port and tightened royal control. But the punishment backfired: the colonies united in resistance, paving the way for revolution.
☕ Freedom Trail Stops:
Old South Meeting House – Where thousands gathered to debate the tea crisis before marching to the harbor.
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum – A floating interactive exhibit with replica ships, costumed interpreters, and the chance to toss a “tea chest” overboard yourself.
Walking the Freedom Trail
Stretching 2.5 miles through downtown Boston, the Freedom Trail connects 16 historic sites that tell the story of America’s struggle for liberty—from Boston Common to Bunker Hill Monument. Other essential stops include:
Faneuil Hall, where fiery speeches inspired resistance.
Old North Church, signaling “One if by land, two if by sea.”
Paul Revere House, the patriot’s home in the North End.
Download a map from TheFreedomTrail.org or join a guided walk led by costumed interpreters for immersive storytelling.
Bylandersea’s Reflections
While Boston is a busy modern city, standing before the Old State House or the quiet waters of Boston Harbor, it’s easy to imagine the fear, anger, and hope that once filled these streets. The Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party weren’t isolated moments—they were the awakening of a people determined to define liberty for themselves.
Do You Know? George Robert Twelves Hewes
I learned about this person while touring the Old State House in Boston. He’s one of those memorable hidden gems. (Sorry about the glare on the photo.)
George Robert Twelves Hewes was a Boston shoemaker who found himself swept up in the events that sparked the American Revolution. He witnessed the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770, and later took part in the Boston Tea Party, helping to dump chests of tea into the harbor and even confronting a British officer during the chaos.
In 1775, Boston was put under martial law and, like many other patriots, Hewes fled the city. His first period of military service began in the fall of 1776 when he boarded the privateering ship “Diamond”. The voyage was successful, resulting in the capture of three enemy vessels. He served in many other battles and sea voyages until 1781 when his military career ended. After the war of 1812 Hewes and his family moved to Richfield Springs in Ostego County, New York. For the rest of his life, he was well respected in the community for his contribution to the cause of the American Revolution and was always a desired participant in memorial ceremonies.
For decades afterward, Hewes and the other Tea Party participants kept their identities secret. Fear of British retaliation—and later, a desire to preserve the unity of the new nation—kept many silent. Only in the early 1800s, when the Revolutionary generation was aging and public curiosity grew, did Hewes finally share his story.
The phrase “Boston Tea Party” was not used at the time of the event in 1773. The participants called it things like “the destruction of the tea” or “the affair of the tea.” They deliberately avoided drawing attention to themselves, since the act was illegal and potentially treasonous.
The name “Boston Tea Party” did not come into use until many decades later — around the 1820s to 1830s.
The earliest known printed use of the phrase appears in 1825, in newspaper accounts reflecting on the Revolution’s 50th anniversary.
It became common after 1834, when local histories and memoirs (including those of George Robert Twelves Hewes) began to romanticize the event.
By the time of the centennial celebrations in 1873, “Boston Tea Party” was the established and widely recognized term.
So, for more than fifty years, Americans didn’t speak of a “Tea Party” at all — they spoke of “the destruction of the tea in Boston Harbor.” The catchy name came later, part of the growing mythology of the Revolution.
By the time of his death in 1840 at age 98, he had become one of the last living witnesses to both the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. His humble life and late fame reminded Americans that the Revolution’s heroes were not only generals and statesmen, but also ordinary citizens with extraordinary courage.
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Next in the Bylandersea America 250 series, the story shifts south to Virginia, where Patrick Henry’s fiery words at Scotchtown echoed Boston’s defiance.
Before George Washington became the steadfast commander of the Continental Army and America’s first president, he was a young officer seeking glory on the rugged frontier. His first experience in battle, during the French and Indian War, brought not fame but failure. Yet those early trials would shape his sense of leadership and the destiny of a nation.
Washington’s Lesson in Humility
In 1754, twenty-two-year-old Washington led a small Virginia regiment into the wilderness of western Pennsylvania. Britain and France both claimed the Ohio Valley, and tensions teetered on war. Acting under vague orders, Washington’s men ambushed a French scouting party, a rash decision that resulted in the death of a French officer and escalated the global conflict.
George Washington as First Colonel in the Virginia Regiment, Charles Willson Peale, oil on canvas, 1772 [U1897.1.1]. Gift of George Washington Custis Lee, University Collections of Art and History, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia
Washington hastily built Fort Necessity, a crude stockade meant to hold off French retaliation. But he was soon surrounded by a superior force of French soldiers and Native American allies. Torrential rain drenched the gunpowder and the morale of his men. Facing certain defeat, Washington surrendered. Worse yet, the surrender document, written in French, contained an admission of “assassination,” tarnishing his reputation abroad.
The humiliation at Fort Necessity taught Washington the lessons of command: humility, caution, and the weight of responsibility. He never again signed a document he could not read, and he emerged from the disaster more determined, more disciplined, and wiser. Those traits would serve him well when called again in the future.
Do You Know?
Washington’s surrender at Fort Necessity in 1754 marked the only time he ever capitulated in battle. That single mistake helped ignite the French and Indian War, a conflict that spread across the globe as the Seven Years’ War and laid the groundwork for the American Revolution that followed.
Raised by His Mother’s Strength
Portrait of Mary Ball Washington attributed to Robert Edge Pine (c. 1786) as listed on Wikimedia Commons and in the public domain.
George’s character was forged long before his military career began. His father, Augustine Washington, died when George was only eleven years old. The loss profoundly affected him, leaving his mother, Mary Ball Washington, to raise five children largely on her own.
Mary was a woman of strong faith and even stronger will. She managed the family’s Ferry Farm plantation near Fredericksburg, teaching her son self-reliance, frugality, and moral resolve. Without the wealth or connections that might have come from an English education, George instead learned practical skills in surveying and agriculture. These experiences grounded him in the realities of the Virginia frontier.
After his youth in Fredericksburg, George often visited his older half-brother, Lawrence Washington, at his home overlooking the Potomac River, the estate we now know as Mount Vernon. Lawrence, a cultured and worldly man who had served with the British Navy, introduced young George to Virginia’s gentry and instilled in him an admiration for military discipline and public service.
When Lawrence died of tuberculosis in 1752, George, then age 20, inherited Mount Vernon. The property became not just his home but his lifelong refuge, a place of reflection after the Revolution and a symbol of his devotion to the land he loved.
Oil on canvas from The National Gallery of Art in the public domain.
The Fredericksburg Connection
To understand Washington’s foundations, visit Fredericksburg, Virginia, a town where his youth, family, and values still echo.
At George Washington’s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm, visitors can walk the same bluff that overlooks the Rappahannock River and tour the reconstructed farmhouse that represents his early life. Archaeological finds tell stories of the Washington family’s daily routines, from farming tools to fragments of china, offering glimpses into the world that shaped a future president.
Across the river lies the Mary Washington House, purchased by George for his widowed mother in 1772. This modest home is filled with 18th-century furnishings and memories of a strong woman whose influence on her son was immeasurable.
A short walk leads to Kenmore, the elegant Georgian mansion built by Washington’s sister, Betty Washington Lewis, and her husband, Fielding Lewis. At the time they built the estate, they were wealthy and the house was designed to show their status. The plaster ceilings in Kenmore are among the finest in America, and every room reflects the refinement of Virginia’s elite. But Fielding’s story is one of sacrifice. He invested nearly his entire fortune in supplying the patriot cause during the Revolution. The debts he incurred crippled his estate, and he died before seeing independence realized. The family remained, but never lived a lavish lifestyle. His devotion stands as a quiet monument to the financial and personal costs of liberty.
Nearby, the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop offers a fascinating window into colonial medicine, with demonstrations of leeches, lancets, and herbal remedies that once treated the town’s residents.
Just a few blocks away, the Rising Sun Tavernoffers another glimpse into 18th-century life. Built in 1760 by George’s younger brother, Charles Washington, the structure originally served as his private home before being converted into a tavern in the 1790s. The Rising Sun quickly became Fredericksburg’s social hub, a place where locals, travelers, and politicians gathered to exchange news and debate the issues of the day.
Today, costumed interpreters recreate the lively atmosphere of a colonial tavern, complete with wooden tankards, candlelight, and tales of Revolutionary-era gossip. The building’s original timbers and brick hearths remain intact, allowing visitors to step back into the era when the colonies buzzed with ideas of liberty and independence.
The tavern connects perfectly with the broader Washington story. It reflects the entrepreneurial spirit of the family and the growing identity of Virginia as a place where both ideas and independence took root.
Reflections on the Path to Greatness
In Fredericksburg, you trace the beginnings of George Washington’s strength, from the heartbreak of losing his father and the stern love of his mother to the mentorship of his brother and his lessons in failure. Here, the man behind the myth becomes real: ambitious yet humble, proud yet disciplined, and forever molded by family and place.
A visit through this region is more than a history lesson. It is a journey into the making of character and country.
George Washington’s Ferry Farm 268 Kings Highway, Fredericksburg, VA Open daily (seasonal hours vary). Tours, museum exhibits, and walking trails. Website: www.kenmore.org/ferryfarm
Mary Washington House 1200 Charles Street, Fredericksburg, VA Open Wednesday through Monday. Guided tours highlight Mary’s later life and her relationship with George. Website: www.washingtonheritagemuseums.org
Kenmore 1201 Washington Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA Open daily for tours. The home of Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis includes gardens and museum exhibits. Website: www.kenmore.org
Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop 1020 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA Living-history interpreters demonstrate 18th-century medical practices. Website: www.washingtonheritagemuseums.org
Rising Sun Tavern 1304 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA Built by Charles Washington in 1760 and later converted into a tavern, the site recreates 18th-century hospitality and conversation. Website: www.washingtonheritagemuseums.org
Fort Necessity National Battlefield 1 Washington Parkway, Farmington, Pennsylvania Step onto the site of George Washington’s first military engagement and only surrender. The National Park Service site preserves the battlefield where Washington’s 1754 skirmish with the French ignited the French and Indian War. Visitors can explore the reconstructed Fort Necessity, a museum with exhibits on colonial frontier life and the global Seven Years’ War, hiking trails through the Great Meadows, and the nearby Mount Washington Tavern, once a stop on the National Road. Website: www.nps.gov/fone
