“For the next three hours, the men broke open 342 chests with hatchets and threw the tea into Boston Harbor. They worked hastily, fearing that British officials would attempt to stop them. Some colonists tried to stuff their pockets with the coveted tea. When caught, these few men were stripped of their coats, which were then thrown into the harbor. The men were kicked and struck as they ed through the crowd watching on the docks. When they were done, the Sons of Liberty members removed their shoes and shook them over the water to make sure they did not have any evidence on them when they left the ship. The colonists marched off the ship just as they had marched onto it, their “party” having ended.”
