Monday, November 20, 2017

T Stands for T Party

Hi everyone. Tuesday has arrived again.The weeks are flying right by and it will be 2018 all too soon I think.
Stop by   Bleubeard and Elizabeth's  blog to check out all the T Stands for Tuesday posts. This is where we share a drink related post and often a little more too.
You can join in too if you'd like.
Today my T Day post is all about a T party.  Specifically, the Boston Tea Party.

Here's how Wikipedia describes this event in American History:

The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the Sons of Liberty in BostonMassachusetts, on December 16, 1773. The demonstrators, some disguised as Native Americans, in defiance of the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company. They boarded the ships and threw the chests of tea into Boston Harbor. The British government responded harshly and the episode escalated into the American Revolution. The Tea Party became an iconic event of American history, and since then other political protests such as the Tea Party movement have referred to themselves as historical successors to the Boston protest of 1773.

The Tea Party was the culmination of a resistance movement throughout British America against the Tea Act, which had been passed by the British Parliament in 1773. Colonists objected to the Tea Act because they believed that it violated their rights as Englishmen to "No taxation without representation", that is, to be taxed only by their own elected representatives and not by a British parliament in which they were not represented. Protesters had successfully prevented the unloading of taxed tea in three other colonies, but in Boston, embattled Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson refused to allow the tea to be returned to Britain.
The Boston Tea Party was a significant event in the growth of the American Revolution. Parliament responded in 1774 with the Coercive Acts, or Intolerable Acts, which, among other provisions, ended local self-government in Massachusetts and closed Boston's commerce. Colonists up and down the Thirteen Colonies in turn responded to the Coercive Acts with additional acts of protest, and by convening the First Continental Congress, which petitioned the British monarch for repeal of the acts and coordinated colonial resistance to them. The crisis escalated, and the American Revolutionary War began near Boston in 1775.

Last Friday I had to go into Boston for a doctor's appointment at Massachusetts General Hospital (better known as Mass General). My daughter took the day off also and came in with me. After my appointment we went for a little walk around the city and decided to explore part of the Freedom Trail,. The Freedom Trail  is a 2.5 mile  National Historic walk that brings you past some of the cities Revolutionary War historical spots. It was very windy Friday, making the 49 degrees feel like 25 degrees (9 degrees C feeling like -4 degrees C), so we only did a very short stretch of the walk, but as we also had to walk to and from the hospital we were both quite cold when we got back to the car,
One of the places we did visit was the museum in the Old Massachusetts State House, which you can see in the first photo of this post.
We decided to get out of the wind for a bit and paid to go through the museum in the Old State House. I had never been into this museum and it was really interesting.
And, they even had a couple of displays related to Tea.
So have a seat, kick off you buckle shoes and take off that tri-corner hat which is all the rage.
And if the silver tea pot isn't your style, you could go for this pretty set.
And of course the tea we will be drinking is not the tea that was sent to the bottom of Boston Harbor. Sorry to those of you coffee addicts.
 There's a choice. Earl Grey or T Party blend breakfast tea.
What you can't see in a gift shop. :)
Now I would have thought that those tri-corner hats had gone out of style centuries ago, but I guess I was wrong.
This crowd was outside of Starbuck's and notice the hat on the man on the right.
And a Starbucks had a cool teapot outside of their door.
It was even steaming. :)
This teapot has been hanging on this building in Boston since 1873 and could hold over 200 gallons of water. It is not something Starbucks put up. 
Wishing all you T Ladies in the US a happy Thanksgiving. And to all you T days, hope you have a wonderful day.
Thanks for visiting.


19 comments:

Linda Kunsman said...

I remember having to read of the history of the Boston Tea Party. Just to imagine all that precious tea going to waste...not to mention the fighting and loss of lives etc.
Oh yes- we got pretty much that same blast of cold air as you-brrrrr! Glad you had a nice day around the dr. visit. I love the historic pieces, furniture and clothing in museums.
And oh my -that is some huge teapot!! Thanks for sharing. Happy T day and a happy Thanksgiving too!

CJ Kennedy said...

When a friend from Iowa visited me several years ago, we took her to Boston and walked the entire Freedom Trail. I had only ever gotten as far as Quincy Market on my own. I don't remember going into the Old State House. I'd like to try some of the Boston Tea Party blends. Love the tins. Glad your appointment at Mass General went well. Happy T Day!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

My keyboard is having a PMS hissy fit today, and refuses to work much of the time. I would LOVE to leave you a personal message like you are used to from me, but it took nearly 30 minutes to write my last "real" message. Fortunately, my mouse still works well, so I can copy and paste this generic message to you. So, I will just wish all my U. S. friends a very happy Thanksgiving and EVERYONE a very happy T Tuesday.

Valerie-Jael said...

Lovely photos of Boston, I remember learning about the Boston Tea Party at school. The museum looks very interesting. That chap looks good in his three cornered hat, and I love the huge teapot. Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

johanna said...

i love this post! informative and with some really great pics!
happy t-day, erika!

Meggymay said...

I have really loved reading this post Erika, especially as it relates to my favourite brew. I think my choice would be the Breakfast Tea.
The museum looks and sounds a great place to visit.
I really liked the giant teapot outside Starbucks. I wonder who has to clean that and polish it.
Happy T day and Thanksgiving wishes.
Yvonne xx

Let's Art Journal said...

What a wonderful post for T Day! I loved visiting Boston and walking the Freedom Trail and it was fun to learn about all the history 😁. That huge gold teapot looks so magical with the steam coming out of it - amazing! Wishing you a Happy T Day! J 😊

Carol said...

WOW! That is one big teapot!!!! Interesting post and thanks for sharing the photos. Thank you too for stopping by for a visit!

jinxxxygirl said...

What a nice visit Erika... I loved all the references to Tea.. I just finished the 'Outlander' book series for the second time and in the books you go thru the American Revolution so you had me thinking of that. :) Happy happy T day! Hugs! deb

Jeanie said...

I love Boston and with the love of history we share, I know I would be wild about that museum. Great photos here and I love the tea for sale in the shop. Yes, I would have bought some -- just because!

Divers and Sundry said...

It sounds like Boston would make a great vacation spot. I like tea as well as coffee, and it looks like the tea options are better there. I'd even get tea at the Starbucks ;)

Happy T Tuesday!

froebelsternchen said...

Oh wow - how appropriate to a TV documentary I saw a few days ago! This golden tea pot is really a stunner! WOW!
Thank you for taking me with you to Boston Erika!
Happy T-Day!
oxo Susi

Lisca said...

Thank you for taking me to Boston. I have never visited Boston. I had Heard about the Tea Party and it was interesting to read the Wikipedia article about it.
Oh you must have been cold! We are so lucky to live in a warmer climate. The souvenir tea caddies are cute and the giant tea pot is amazing. I'm glad you mentioned that it was not put there by Starbucks. I would have assumed they had. I also wonder if someone has to polish it....
Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving,
Happy T-Day,
Lisca

Eileen The Artful Crafter said...

You have enough t-party references in this post to count for 6 or 7 parties, Erika! Very interesting. I love the huge teapot on the building spouting steam.

Happy T-day! Hugs, Eileen

kathyinozarks said...

This was a very interesting post-I love learning about our american history. Loved that tea pot-very cool
thanks so much for sharing with us Happy T Day Kathy

Denise Price said...

Excellent topic for a T-Day post! I wonder what the Boston Tea Party blend of tea tastes like. If I ever visit Boston, I'll know where to find some. :)

pearshapedcrafting said...

Boston is somewhere that fascinates me…for several reasons, we used to live in Lincolnshire where there is also a Boston, the story of the Boston Tea Party always caught my imagination and of course there's Allie Mcbeal and Cheers!! Thank you for this story from the American point of view! The museum looks interesting as well as somewhere to get out of the cold! Love the big teapot!!Happy T Day! Chrisx

Kate Yetter said...

Loved reading this! I love tea and what a wonderful selection of teas in the gift shop. That brass tea kettle is amazing.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate

Dianne said...

Loved your visit to the museum! The first photo showing the building was such and interesting contrast of the stately brick building against the taller, more modern buildings. so glad the city had the sense to not tear down the old building! also loved the tea pot on the building! ♥