reported to the citizens in session at the Old South Church, Samuel Adams rose and said: "The meeting declares it can do nothing more to save the country." A few minutes

after, a company of forty or fifty reputable citizens, lightly disguised as Indians, and followed by an immense crowd, proceeded quietly to the wharf and, boarding the vessels, cut open the tea cases and threw their contents into the harbor, after which the people quietly dispersed. This event is known in history as the Boston Tea Party.

205. The Boston Port Bill and the "Intolerable Acts"March and June, 1774.-When the story of how the different cargoes were treated reached the English authorities, they determined that the people of Boston should be visited with especial punishment and that the other colonies should be made to feel England's power. A series of acts was accordingly prepared which, because of their severity, were known in America as the "Intolerable Acts." The first of these was the Boston Port Bill. The second was the Regulating Act, which annulled the charter of Massachusetts and made it a royal province. The third was the Transportation Act, providing that any person indicted for murder while in the service of the king should not be tried where the act was committed, but in England. The Quartering Act removed all legal obstacles to the quartering of troops in the colonies. The fifth and last was known as the Quebec Act. This act granted the French provinces religious toleration, and extended the province of Quebec westward to the Mississippi River and southward to the Ohio River. It was designed to prevent the province of Quebec from joining the other colonies in their demand for freedom. It still left intact the king's old "proclamation line" which had so greatly incensed the colonies in 1763. Several of the colonies claimed much of this new Quebec province as their own and felt outraged at the act. These acts were indeed "intolerable" acts. They were passed in 1774, and under their influence the Revolution ripened.

The Boston Port Bill was passed for the especial punishment of the city of Boston on account of its participation in the Tea Party. The bill went into effect June 1, 1774. It closed the port of Boston to everything but food and fuel until the tea should be paid for, and satisfactory evidence given that the people were thoroughly repentant.

206. Effect of the Bill and the Action of the Other Colonies.The immediate effect of the Port Bill at Boston was of course distressing. The trade of that city was almost exclusively carried on by sea. A large portion of its inhabitants were engaged in occupations made necessary by sea traffic, and these were at once thrown out of employment. But they were not dismayed, for they had the moral and material support of all the other colonies, to whom a circular letter had been sent asking for aid. The first of June was made a day of fasting and mourning in many of the colonies, and money and provisions were collected and forwarded to the stricken city. For all felt that this was a blow, which, though meant for Boston, was borne by that city in the interest of all the colonies.

207. First Continental Congress Sept. 5 to Oct. 26, 1774.— Nothing so unites the hearts of individuals or of nations as a common danger. If the king could ruin Boston, the richest city in the colonies, he could ruin any other municipality unless abject submission was yielded to his demands. The colonial leaders began to realize that only in union could there be strength. This idea was voiced by the New York Sons of Liberty in a suggestion for a convention of delegates from the different colonies. Benjamin Franklin had also made this suggestion to the Massachusetts legislature, and similar proposals were made by the members of the Virginia assembly after its dissolution by the royalist governor. Accordingly, on September 5, there met in Philadelphia a congress of fifty-five delegates, every colony being represented but Georgia, where the royal governor was able to defeat an

attempt to choose delegates. In many respects this was a remarkable gathering. Washington, Patrick Henry, and Richard Henry Lee were there from Virginia, the Adamses from Massachusetts and Jay from New York. All shades of religious opinion were represented, so much so that John Jay opposed the motion to open with prayer on the ground that there were so many sects that agreement could not be had on a suitable person. But Samuel Adams, stiff Puritan as he was, remarked that "he could hear prayers from any gentlenian of piety who was at the same time a patriot," and moved to invite an Episcopal clergyman, who was present, to serve the convention. The Congress was in session until October 26. It issued an address to the people of the colonies, another to the Canadians, still another to the people of Great Britain, and a fourth to the king. In a declaration of rights, of which the great Pitt said that the "histories of Greece and Rome give us nothing equal to it," they demanded the repeal of eleven of the objectionable acts of parliament, asserted the right to tax themselves, the right to assemble peaceably for purposes of petition, and demanded that they be accorded the "rights of Englishmen," as laid down in all their charters. One of the most practical results of this Congress was the formation of the American Association. This was a nationalization of the nonimportation idea, giving it more strength and force by more effective organization. On the Port Bill question a decisive resolution of approval of the opposition of Massachusetts thereto was passed. The Congress also declared that if force should be used by the king to further carry out the acts of parliament, then, “in such case all America ought to support Massachusetts in her opposition." In many respects this was the most important utterance of the Congress, for it threw down the gauntlet to the king and parliament-"persist at your peril." When Congress adjourned it provided for another congress, to meet on the 10th of May, following, to consider the answer which the king was expected to make.

208. Battle of Lexington-April 19, 1775: "The Shot Heard Round the World."-During the fall and winter of 1775-76 stirring events were occurring in Massachusetts. General Gage, now also governor of Massachusetts, had been reinforced by four regiments of troops who were to awe the people of Massachusetts into submission. The people were still peaceably inclined, but they could not be coerced. They still met in their town meetings and refused to recognize the judges appointed by the king when he had revoked their charter. Under the pressure of public sentiment many of these judges resigned and those who did not resign were forbidden to qualify. Governor-General Gage called the legislature to meet at Salem, but before the time set had arrived he postponed the meeting. However, the legislature proceeded to meet without Gage's consent and at once. appointed a committee of safety, one of whose duties was to collect military stores. In February, this committee made provision for the or

ganization of the

militia of the state,

to resist Gage should he employ force.

Thus the winter was passed in preparation for possible war and all of the American colonies anxiously awaited the issue. Finally a per

BOSTON AND VICINITY

emptory order came from the king for the arrest of Samuel Adams and John Hancock, two of the most noted of the patriot leaders. They were reported to be at Lexington near Concord, where the colonists had gathered many military stores. Gage concluded to capture the men and destroy the stores at one stroke. But the colonists had not been idle. On the night the expedition was to set out for Lexington

swift riders carried the warning of the coming expedition. The warning was given in sufficient time, Adams and Hancock were safe with friends, while the region in the vicinity of Boston was one blaze of signal lights, calling out the minute-men for long-expected action.

As the Redcoats marched into Lexington, they found a small body of minute-men assembled on the green. Major John Pitcairn was sent to disperse them and in the skirmish that ensued sev

en of the Ameri-
cans were killed

and a number
wounded. The
British then

pressed on to
Concord, but

found little to

destroy, as the

patriots had

Noticing the rapidity with which the colonists were gathering, Colonel Smith concluded it the better part of valor to get back to Boston. By the time he had left Concord a host of colonial farmers lined the route by which the British must reach Boston. There was little or no organization among these farmers-they were not strong enough to give open battle-but every tree and rock became a breast work from behind which there blazed