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| The Diary of Mary Reveals the
Truth About the Boston Tea Party by Judith
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l773, December l4
Today I was busy doing chores for Master Terrance and Mistress Liz and
their children, Matthew and Sarah. My master spends his day at the
print shop and my mistress is a busy housewife. Sarah is the
youngest and Matthew is the oldest. Sarah is suffering from a
high fever, but she is improving each day.
I woke up at dusk and quickly did my daily chores. As soon as possible
I started making breakfast. I made scrambled eggs with corn meal and
bits of pork, and soon the whole family started to eat. It did
not
take long before the master and the mistress started talking about the
tax on tea, and I could’t help but listen to the conversation.
All I heard was that King George had put a tax on many things like
paint, lead, stamps, glass and tea.
Why is there tax on tea? I do not know, but Master Terrance and
Mistress Liz are against the idea. All I have been hearing about
around the house is the tax on tea. If there is tax on tea the
master will not allow us to buy it, and if there is no tea in this
house,
I don’t know what the mistress would do. Not only the mistress and
master, but the colonists are also terribly mad about their tea being
taxed, so they are boycotting the British tea. After breakfast the
master excused himself from the table, and he said that he had to go to
a small meeting at the Town House. The children and the mistress
waved goodbye and the master headed out.
I heard the information from the master but I still do not
know what is going on, but I hope to learn more about this tax on
tea. After making breakfast I went and did the laundry the third
time this month, and cleaned the floors up and down . In the afternoon,
I gathered some wild plants and vegetables to make soup for lunch and
later on that day I made beef stew for dinner. While I was doing
my chores I was thinking about the tax on tea and how it made me
feel. I feel horrible. I think the colonists should have someone
to represent them in England.
Sincerely,
Mary
l773, December l5
These couple of weeks the master has been coming in and out very late,
to more and more meetings. Today the Sons of Liberty are holding a
meeting at the Town House. I know that I cannot attend the meeting but
I want to know what is going on. If I finish my daily chores I am
allowed to go for a walk. Tonight while I took my walk I snuck
behind the master and followed him to the Town House. Hopefully
no one saw me.
During the meeting I heard of names like John Hancock, Francis Rotch,
and Samuel Adams. I was hoping not to get caught, just to get
information on the tax on tea, and I wanted to know what the meeting
was about. At the meeting I heard that they may be boarding three ships
by the names of Beaver, Eleanor and Dartmouth. It was cold and I was
standing outside, shivering and my teeth were chattering, but I was
still trying to keep quiet. I noticed everyone was debating at
the meeting. It was a never-ending meeting and soon some men started to
head home and I scurried home before I got into trouble. I
new after the meeting that latter on is going to mack today a
hectic day.
It’s time, time for the Sons of Liberty to proceed with their plan. I
finished my chores for the day. After doing my chores the master asked
me to go and gather feathers. I gathered the feathers and left them on
the kitchen table. Later on that day a couple of men came over and
collected the costumes from Master. The Master before
leaving the master mention ed that they will be going over to the
docks.
Then he and the others headed out. We didn't hear from the master until
the middle of the night.
Later on that night the master came home in his Indian ware. The
master came and settled down wile he tried to catch a breath. Matthew
and
Sarah, the children woke up and ran up to their father. Sarah was
siting at the masters lap and Matthew was playing with the masters
feathered hat.
The mistress came in and asked, ‘‘How did every thing go’’? The
master said that it was a telling day and that they dumped a heaping
amount of tea into Boston Harbor. By the looks in the mistress's face
she was probably guessing that it was lots of tea. After the long night
we all headed to sleep and anxious to see what will happen the next day.
Sincerely,
Mary
this morning i woke up to a bunch of men coming in to the house. i got
dressed as fast as i could then i rushed up stares to see what is going
on. three men came in and they started to tack about going
to the harbour. as son as one of the men stopped tacking the master
went
up to his room and got dewed. when he came down one of them said
that i heard the master morning the mistress asked me to go and
get
vegetables and some bred for lunch to day.
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Historical References:
Create Your Bibliography Here...
”Colonel Slavery”Footsteps: African American History,2000. Stefoff,
Boston Tea Party ,Jessica McElrath.4/26/06, <http: //
www.afroamhistory.about. com/od/slavery/a/ coloni alslavery.htm>.
The Old South Meeting House Packet, Old South Meeting House,
2004.
Boston Tea Party4/26/06
<http://www.members.tripod.com/~stoenoit/teaparty.htm>.
Boston Tea Party 4/26/06
<http://www.kidport.com/reflib/usahistory/American Revolution>.
The Boston Tea Party. 4/26/06.
<http://www.witnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm>.
The Boston Tea Party 4/26/06
<http://www.scarsdaleschools.k12.ny.us/wilson/food.htm>.
Rebecca. American Voices from Colonial Life. New York:200
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