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Ten Tea Parties: Patriotic Protests That History Forgot
Everyone knows the story of the Boston Tea Party—in which colonists stormed three British ships and dumped 92,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor. But do you know the history of the Philadelphia Tea Party (December 1773)? How about the York, Maine, Tea Party (September 1774) or the Wilmington, North Carolina, Tea Party (March 1775)?
Ten Tea Parties is the first book to chronicle all these uniquely American protests. Author and historian Joseph Cummins begins with the history of the East India Company (the biggest global corporation in the eighteenth century) and their staggering financial losses during the Boston Tea Party (more than a million dollars in today’s money).
From there we travel to Philadelphia, where Captain Samuel Ayres was nearly tarred and feathered by a mob of 8,000 angry patriots. Then we set sail for New York City, where the Sons of Liberty raided the London and heaved 18 chests of tea into the Hudson River. Still later, in Annapolis, Maryland, a brigantine carrying 2,320 pounds of the “wretched weed” was burned to ashes.
Together, the stories in Ten Tea Parties illuminate the power of Americans banding together as Americans —for the very first time in the fledgling nation’s history. It’s no wonder these patriots remain an inspiration to so many people today.
Ten Tea Parties is the first book to chronicle all these uniquely American protests. Author and historian Joseph Cummins begins with the history of the East India Company (the biggest global corporation in the eighteenth century) and their staggering financial losses during the Boston Tea Party (more than a million dollars in today’s money).
From there we travel to Philadelphia, where Captain Samuel Ayres was nearly tarred and feathered by a mob of 8,000 angry patriots. Then we set sail for New York City, where the Sons of Liberty raided the London and heaved 18 chests of tea into the Hudson River. Still later, in Annapolis, Maryland, a brigantine carrying 2,320 pounds of the “wretched weed” was burned to ashes.
Together, the stories in Ten Tea Parties illuminate the power of Americans banding together as Americans —for the very first time in the fledgling nation’s history. It’s no wonder these patriots remain an inspiration to so many people today.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
22 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Cummins
57 books32 followersJoseph Cummins is the author of numerous books, including Anything for a Vote: Dirty Tricks, Cheap Shots and October Surprises in U.S. Presidential Elections; A Bloody History of the World, which won the 2010 Our History Project Gold Medal Award; and the forthcoming Ten Tea Parties: Patriotic Protests That History Forgot. He lives in Maplewood, New Jersey, with his wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 21, 2021
This book -- an advanced reading copy lacking a bibliography and appendix that apparently includes even more tea parties all around the Colonies in the year or so leading up to the American Revolution -- was an interesting read indeed. It offers mini-bios of some of the revolutionaries behind the tea parties and captures some of the furious discord of the times. I was pleased to see that one of the tea parties was led entirely by the fine ladies of a genuine backwater. It all makes me wonder how many other tea-based protests there were that never made it into a traveler's diary and were never memorialized with a painting or a plaque in a town square. I now see the Tea Party, not as an event, but a movement, and the colonists as a remarkably united force who hated the tea tax the way I hate armed drunks. Until now I saw the revolution as run by the Founding Fathers despite of a lot of colonists disagreeing with them. This book has changed my view.
December 15, 2011
Joseph Cummins found a little investigated field of study in American history to base this intriguing book on. Before reading this book, I had never heard of most of these "tea party" occurrences in our nation's history. Other than the Boston Tea Party, not many of these events are covered in our history books. It is so refreshing to find a history book on a topic that has not been widely explored.
"Ten Tea Parties" tells the stories of various instances in the late 18th century where defenders of civil rights took it into their own hands to do away with the tea from which the British hoped to obtain taxes from the American colonists. These stories illustrate the fact that this was a widespread movement, much larger that just the Boston Tea Party that we so often read about. Cummins describes how each of these ten towns destroyed the tea in its own unique way, and how even women became involved in this protest.
Cummins gives us a great account of the history of tea and the growth and importance of the East India Company which "went on to become the world's most powerful trading company" for nearly two and a half centuries. He relates the events that led up to the protests against imported British products, especially tea. He divulges the idea that "for the first time in the nation's history, Americans banded together as Americans, " and illustrates how tea parties became a symbol for future political actions. Cummins relates these concepts to how many of the modern and/or current civil disobedience groups have taken their lead from the brave 18th century patriots' actions. This was a stimulating topic for a book and I applaud the effort.
"Ten Tea Parties" tells the stories of various instances in the late 18th century where defenders of civil rights took it into their own hands to do away with the tea from which the British hoped to obtain taxes from the American colonists. These stories illustrate the fact that this was a widespread movement, much larger that just the Boston Tea Party that we so often read about. Cummins describes how each of these ten towns destroyed the tea in its own unique way, and how even women became involved in this protest.
Cummins gives us a great account of the history of tea and the growth and importance of the East India Company which "went on to become the world's most powerful trading company" for nearly two and a half centuries. He relates the events that led up to the protests against imported British products, especially tea. He divulges the idea that "for the first time in the nation's history, Americans banded together as Americans, " and illustrates how tea parties became a symbol for future political actions. Cummins relates these concepts to how many of the modern and/or current civil disobedience groups have taken their lead from the brave 18th century patriots' actions. This was a stimulating topic for a book and I applaud the effort.
January 26, 2026
Cummins writes a book about history more than a history book. The contents of the work is nonetheless interesting. One is able to viscerally see the violent nature of the Sons of Liberty and the broader Patriot cause preceding the American Revolution.
Where the book fails is in Cummins' incongruent epilogue consisting of contemporary U.S. political criticism and near endorsement of "the Tea Party movement." This inclusion casts doubt on the author's reliability as chronicler.
Where the book fails is in Cummins' incongruent epilogue consisting of contemporary U.S. political criticism and near endorsement of "the Tea Party movement." This inclusion casts doubt on the author's reliability as chronicler.
March 1, 2017
We all know about the Boston Tea Party, but it’s not so well known that other colonies participated in tea parties as well. This book includes details on the ones in Boston, Philadelphia, Charleston (they had two), New York, Chestertown (Maryland – that one might not have even happened, but they still celebrate it every Memorial Day), York (Maine), Annapolis, Edenton and Wilmington, and Greenwich (New Jersey). Some were dramatic, some calm, some involved fire, some water, but all were to protest the taxes being imposed by Britain on the increasingly independent American colonies. At the end of the book are brief descriptions of a few other tea parties as well. Ten Tea Parties reads somewhat like a textbook and is a bit dry. For those interested in little known bits of American history, it’s a good read.
April 5, 2014
I must admit, even as a history buff I'd only heard of the Boston, Edenton, and Charleston tea parties, so this book proved enlightening. Cummins places the tea parties in the context of the greater issues of the time - Britain's post-Seven Years' War economic problems, Parliament's taxation of the colonies, and the East India Company's monopoly and bail-out by the British government. He draws some interesting parallels with America's current economic and political situation, too. Also important is how the tea parties, though performed by separate groups sometimes months or even over a year apart, were a colonies-wide movement that served to help unite many of the American colonists against British rule.
Ten Tea Parties is not scholarly-written, nor does it claim to be. There is a bibliography in the back and some primary sources are quoted, but there are no footnotes or other indications as to where, exactly, information came from. Cummins writes in a way that is easily understandable to both academics and the general public, and the information he presents in the book is generally concise and does not contain an overload of details. Cummins obviously did his research, but, fortunately, he did not attempt to squish all of it into this one short book as some historians have been wont to do.
Disclaimer: I received my copy of this book from GoodReads First Look in return for an honest review.
Ten Tea Parties is not scholarly-written, nor does it claim to be. There is a bibliography in the back and some primary sources are quoted, but there are no footnotes or other indications as to where, exactly, information came from. Cummins writes in a way that is easily understandable to both academics and the general public, and the information he presents in the book is generally concise and does not contain an overload of details. Cummins obviously did his research, but, fortunately, he did not attempt to squish all of it into this one short book as some historians have been wont to do.
Disclaimer: I received my copy of this book from GoodReads First Look in return for an honest review.
January 7, 2012
I found this book full of historical facts, I didn’t realize that more than one Tea Party had taken place before the Revolutionary war, but they seemed to be having them up and down the Eastern Seaboard at that time.
The book talked about the players and how they came to tossing tea chests into the harbors and how they also burned it. The chapter on women and tea really kept my interest. They also got in on the tea parties and refused to drink the ‘vile concoction’ until the tax was removed. This was a huge ‘hot button’ topic for the colonists and it kept the Sons of Liberty busy. It seems funny to think that a little thing like tea drove the colonists to action and united them in a common cause later bringing on the revolution. There are many quotes out there about the consequences of small actions. Well these Tea Parties had quite the consequence for the English and the colonists.
I enjoyed the book, but it had its dry moments. Pure history for history sake can be boring at times. I would have liked the author to taken some creative license and given us a few fictional actions and characters to hold on to. Giving history a face and life can make the whole thing pop giving readers a feeling of having been there.
If you enjoy historical facts and dates, you will enjoy this little book on the big topic of Tea Parties.
The book talked about the players and how they came to tossing tea chests into the harbors and how they also burned it. The chapter on women and tea really kept my interest. They also got in on the tea parties and refused to drink the ‘vile concoction’ until the tax was removed. This was a huge ‘hot button’ topic for the colonists and it kept the Sons of Liberty busy. It seems funny to think that a little thing like tea drove the colonists to action and united them in a common cause later bringing on the revolution. There are many quotes out there about the consequences of small actions. Well these Tea Parties had quite the consequence for the English and the colonists.
I enjoyed the book, but it had its dry moments. Pure history for history sake can be boring at times. I would have liked the author to taken some creative license and given us a few fictional actions and characters to hold on to. Giving history a face and life can make the whole thing pop giving readers a feeling of having been there.
If you enjoy historical facts and dates, you will enjoy this little book on the big topic of Tea Parties.
January 31, 2012
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Boston Tea Party is a well known piece of American history, but it's usually talked about as a singular event: the one tea party that happened that one time. But less well known is the fact that there were actually many tea parties happening around the country during that time, all with their own unique and interesting stories. Joseph Cummins' book Ten Tea Parties brings the stories of these forgotten tea parties to light in an informative and greatly enjoyable read.
This book is in the "history" category, but it definitely doesn't read like a history book. Cummins weaves quotes and information from primary sources into his narrative, but he does it with the wonderfully conversational tone of a master storyteller. This is no dry restating of facts; Cummins makes history come alive by highlighting interesting, little known details about each tea party and their key players.
This is a great read, especially for those with an interest in Revolutionary era American history. The author's passion for the subject is clear, and contagious too; I dare you to read this book and be able to resist sharing the fascinating tidbits you learn from it!
Full review posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook.
The Boston Tea Party is a well known piece of American history, but it's usually talked about as a singular event: the one tea party that happened that one time. But less well known is the fact that there were actually many tea parties happening around the country during that time, all with their own unique and interesting stories. Joseph Cummins' book Ten Tea Parties brings the stories of these forgotten tea parties to light in an informative and greatly enjoyable read.
This book is in the "history" category, but it definitely doesn't read like a history book. Cummins weaves quotes and information from primary sources into his narrative, but he does it with the wonderfully conversational tone of a master storyteller. This is no dry restating of facts; Cummins makes history come alive by highlighting interesting, little known details about each tea party and their key players.
This is a great read, especially for those with an interest in Revolutionary era American history. The author's passion for the subject is clear, and contagious too; I dare you to read this book and be able to resist sharing the fascinating tidbits you learn from it!
Full review posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook.
December 17, 2011
I really loved this book! It is so entertaining, at first I didn't even realize how much I was learning. Clear and easy to read, "Ten Tea Parties" is packed with information. Most people know about the Boston Tea Party, but this book tells why the colonists were both motivated and, perhaps, even compelled, to act. The reader gains a better understanding of how such disparate people in the separate colonies came to unify for many acts of resistance.
I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in history or who would just like something different to read, since it is interesting and light. It is quite suitable for young adults.
I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in history or who would just like something different to read, since it is interesting and light. It is quite suitable for young adults.
October 1, 2020
We know the Boston Tea Party. We know it was the outgrowth of a protest that went wrong: Some 92,000 pounds of tea were dumped into Boston Harbor, valued at around a million dollars in today's currency. It was a wonton act of violence that resulted in an angry British Parliament closing the port of Boston and setting the stage for what would become the American Revolution.
Surprisingly, Boston was not the first tea party to be help in the colonies. That honor went to the town of Lexington, Massachusetts - December 12, 1773, four days before Boston's. In fact, there were far more tea parties than we will ever know about during the contentious days leading to revolution. In his book, Jospeh Cummins focuses on ten, including Boston's, that stand out. Places like New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston each had their own tea parties, their own acts of aggression in the name of self-government.
The book is a quick, enjoyable read. You're sure to learn some things you didn't know before. You'll most likely come away wondering: "when does a peaceful protest cease to be peaceful?" Certainly a sign of today's times.
Is history repeating itself?
Surprisingly, Boston was not the first tea party to be help in the colonies. That honor went to the town of Lexington, Massachusetts - December 12, 1773, four days before Boston's. In fact, there were far more tea parties than we will ever know about during the contentious days leading to revolution. In his book, Jospeh Cummins focuses on ten, including Boston's, that stand out. Places like New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston each had their own tea parties, their own acts of aggression in the name of self-government.
The book is a quick, enjoyable read. You're sure to learn some things you didn't know before. You'll most likely come away wondering: "when does a peaceful protest cease to be peaceful?" Certainly a sign of today's times.
Is history repeating itself?
July 2, 2022
If you are a follower of my blog, then you know I love history; all kinda, all eras, all of it. I am especially enamored with Revolutionary War history and World War II History. I got this book a while ago when it was on sale in e-book format. When I saw the length (126 pages) I wondered just how informative it could really be.
It turns out, quite a bit.
As It turns out, The Boston Tea Party was NOT the only one, and technically, not the first. That distinction goes to the neighboring town of Lexington, who burned their tea the night before in support of what their Bostonian counterparts were doing. As it turns out, there were nine other “Tea Parties” (a term adopted in the 1820s) up and down the eastern seaboard. Word spread about what Boston had done, initially by a courier who rode down to New York City and Philadelphia. That courier’s name? None other than Paul Revere. Yes, THAT Paul Revere who would go onto fame as a “Midnight Rider” to war about the approach of the British troops.
Two of the better points of this book are 1) it is very informative, and 2) the author does not waste words simply to waste them. Each tea party is addressed concisely, and you do not need a doctorate to understand just what was going on.
If there is a drawback to this book it is that after a while the incidents seem to be the same. It is a minor point and one I got over quickly.
I give this book 4 bookmarks out of 5!
It turns out, quite a bit.
As It turns out, The Boston Tea Party was NOT the only one, and technically, not the first. That distinction goes to the neighboring town of Lexington, who burned their tea the night before in support of what their Bostonian counterparts were doing. As it turns out, there were nine other “Tea Parties” (a term adopted in the 1820s) up and down the eastern seaboard. Word spread about what Boston had done, initially by a courier who rode down to New York City and Philadelphia. That courier’s name? None other than Paul Revere. Yes, THAT Paul Revere who would go onto fame as a “Midnight Rider” to war about the approach of the British troops.
Two of the better points of this book are 1) it is very informative, and 2) the author does not waste words simply to waste them. Each tea party is addressed concisely, and you do not need a doctorate to understand just what was going on.
If there is a drawback to this book it is that after a while the incidents seem to be the same. It is a minor point and one I got over quickly.
I give this book 4 bookmarks out of 5!
May 6, 2023
Very quick read—one for the casual reader, meant in a positive way. The first of Cummins’s ten tea parties isn’t forgotten at all; it’s the Boston Tea Party itself, treated in more depth than any of the others.
The other nine range from a brutally violent ship burning to the ladies of a town signing a joint declaration that they’ll no longer gather for tea. It’s a really cute look at this moment in American history.
The historiography is sometimes a little doubtful: Cummins attributes "This meeting can do nothing more to save the country" to the wrong Adams cousin, and he insists that Maryland was the last proprietary colony (screw you, Pennsylvania).
The other nine range from a brutally violent ship burning to the ladies of a town signing a joint declaration that they’ll no longer gather for tea. It’s a really cute look at this moment in American history.
The historiography is sometimes a little doubtful: Cummins attributes "This meeting can do nothing more to save the country" to the wrong Adams cousin, and he insists that Maryland was the last proprietary colony (screw you, Pennsylvania).
August 18, 2018
So much history to be learned from
Book is well written and engaging from the first page to the last. Boston was not the first town to reject tea, but it sounded as if it had the largest quantity destroyed. Many other towns followed the example set but rarely was the script repeated. Isn't that similar to our country's towns and regions today? Highly recommended
Book is well written and engaging from the first page to the last. Boston was not the first town to reject tea, but it sounded as if it had the largest quantity destroyed. Many other towns followed the example set but rarely was the script repeated. Isn't that similar to our country's towns and regions today? Highly recommended
May 14, 2020
Who knew? Not me! I learned a little bit more about our forefathers reading this book. That is a good thing. It is the little things about our past that make discovering a new book about history a joy. I did enjoy this book and recommend it to all who wish to learn just a little bit more.
January 9, 2023
A fascinating collection of tea party protests leading up to the Revolutionary War. Cummins lays out enough background to help the reader understand why they mattered, and presents a variety of incidents.
October 14, 2025
Really enjoyed this book, for the facts and the soft-soaping of events over the centuries. Happy to have read about the Ladies 'tea party' protest of Edenton, NC.
Well worth reading, especially now.
Well worth reading, especially now.
August 5, 2020
Enjoyed this short book. Put an interesting perspective on the tea parties.
January 29, 2025
Found it amazing how wide spread the revolution of "Tea Partys" actually was. It did take a forming nation of Americans to ban together.
January 3, 2015
bookpeek.tumblr.com: Tea Party. Whether you associate it with a fiery political movement or a featured moment mentioned in your high school history class, most Americans (and many others across the globe) have come to terms with this phrase one way or another. When we think about the historical “party,” often there is little debate over what is believed to be the recounts of that fateful event on December 16, 1773. It took place in Boston, a group of colonists were infuriated over the oppressive nature the British government had imposed over their colonies, and those colonists took matters into their own hands by dumping cases of tea into the Boston Harbor as a symbol of their rejection over taxed tea (and other goods). To the dismay of history buffs, the other nine tea parties that occurred during this same time have been often times misplaced in the history textbooks- in other words, we forgot about them.
Joseph Cummins has written a historical account of the Tea Party + 9 for readers searching for more context behind the start of the American Revolution. He of course begins with the most well-known tea party in Boston and then proceeds to enlighten/inform/remind - call it what you will - his readers of the other nine most memorable tea parties that occurred in the colonies. Why do I say most memorable? Cummins’s Appendix in the book includes even more tea parties of course. From what I gather, I guess, is that The Boston Tea Party wasn’t that unique after all. Sorry Massachusetts.
Ten Tea Parties: Patriotic Protests That History Forgot is a beautiful little book. The details put into the dust jacket, book sleeve, and even pages are both appropriate and interesting to look at or even place somewhere for display. I especially loved the extra detail of placing a tax stamp on the dust jacket as a little reference to The Stamp Act.
Apart from the wonderful work that went into the design of the book, the reading was effortless. This book should not be looked as another boring, slow historical read that often many find to be the case when they parooz the non-fiction section of their local bookstore. It is one of those great books you can bring with you on a train ride, read in between appointments, or, if you’re like me, knock the sucker out in one sitting.
Cummins includes not only the usual characters you’d find in a history textbook when he describes the makings of the tea parties. He includes unlikely characters, including wealthy women who once used the tea as a social tool.
I could have gone without the Tea Party political movement reference in his Epilogue but that’s just because 1) it’s an element of the political stage that has been covered exceedingly too much and 2) I felt like it was a bit rushed and left almost unfinished. However, it is a new movement, with very little to go one for an indepth analysis, so I’ll catch Cummins some slack.
Overall, the book was great. I’d recommend it to anyone who is a history buff, someone who prefers to learn more than what was fed to them in history class, or someone who just needs something different from their usual reading pile.
Joseph Cummins has written a historical account of the Tea Party + 9 for readers searching for more context behind the start of the American Revolution. He of course begins with the most well-known tea party in Boston and then proceeds to enlighten/inform/remind - call it what you will - his readers of the other nine most memorable tea parties that occurred in the colonies. Why do I say most memorable? Cummins’s Appendix in the book includes even more tea parties of course. From what I gather, I guess, is that The Boston Tea Party wasn’t that unique after all. Sorry Massachusetts.
Ten Tea Parties: Patriotic Protests That History Forgot is a beautiful little book. The details put into the dust jacket, book sleeve, and even pages are both appropriate and interesting to look at or even place somewhere for display. I especially loved the extra detail of placing a tax stamp on the dust jacket as a little reference to The Stamp Act.
Apart from the wonderful work that went into the design of the book, the reading was effortless. This book should not be looked as another boring, slow historical read that often many find to be the case when they parooz the non-fiction section of their local bookstore. It is one of those great books you can bring with you on a train ride, read in between appointments, or, if you’re like me, knock the sucker out in one sitting.
Cummins includes not only the usual characters you’d find in a history textbook when he describes the makings of the tea parties. He includes unlikely characters, including wealthy women who once used the tea as a social tool.
I could have gone without the Tea Party political movement reference in his Epilogue but that’s just because 1) it’s an element of the political stage that has been covered exceedingly too much and 2) I felt like it was a bit rushed and left almost unfinished. However, it is a new movement, with very little to go one for an indepth analysis, so I’ll catch Cummins some slack.
Overall, the book was great. I’d recommend it to anyone who is a history buff, someone who prefers to learn more than what was fed to them in history class, or someone who just needs something different from their usual reading pile.
February 23, 2012
Reading Ten Tea Parties was a bit different than my normal choice of book. But when I first say the title, I questioned the book. This sounds interesting, but it's a history book isn't it? Until reading it, I haven't taken much pleasure in history books since middle school when learning about the Greeks, Romans, then later Americans was fun but not extensive enough to cause boredom. Then high school and college required courses took hold and killed the subject for me.
This book shattered that stigma against liking history. When I read the brief description on Good Reads alone I gained interest. There was more to the Tea Party, and more Tea Parties than just Boston's? Yes, I want to know about this. Part of this was probably due to it being completely new information to me and another part is most likely because I don't like how history is only fed to students in amounts and events the schools want to talk about. This seems to be an important part of our nation's history and I wanted to know about it.
The way this information about the entire crisis of the various taxes leading up to and the final straw of the tax on tea was presented took me out of the mindset of "I'm reading a history book." I was not bored once, which is uncommon for me. It wasn't dry at all. I continuously wanted to read and read. I enjoyed the starting out with the explanation of the history of the East India Company as well. I've heard of it, but never knew just how powerful they were. It set up the rest of the book perfectly. From it went into how the various colonists dealt with the taxes, organized, and carried out a way of protesting against what they believed was wrong.
Before reading this book the Revolution to me was focused mainly in the north, part of that may be from being educated in New York, but at the same time a lot happened up here. Seeing that the protests occurred as far south as North Carolina was also refreshing. It brought a more whole perspective on the situation; this was really all 13 colonies under a common cause.
Bottom line: Pick this book up, even if you're not into reading about history too often. I was in the same boat, but had a gut feeling about this book. I was pleased in the end. I learned something and it's great to be able to take so much out of a book.
This book shattered that stigma against liking history. When I read the brief description on Good Reads alone I gained interest. There was more to the Tea Party, and more Tea Parties than just Boston's? Yes, I want to know about this. Part of this was probably due to it being completely new information to me and another part is most likely because I don't like how history is only fed to students in amounts and events the schools want to talk about. This seems to be an important part of our nation's history and I wanted to know about it.
The way this information about the entire crisis of the various taxes leading up to and the final straw of the tax on tea was presented took me out of the mindset of "I'm reading a history book." I was not bored once, which is uncommon for me. It wasn't dry at all. I continuously wanted to read and read. I enjoyed the starting out with the explanation of the history of the East India Company as well. I've heard of it, but never knew just how powerful they were. It set up the rest of the book perfectly. From it went into how the various colonists dealt with the taxes, organized, and carried out a way of protesting against what they believed was wrong.
Before reading this book the Revolution to me was focused mainly in the north, part of that may be from being educated in New York, but at the same time a lot happened up here. Seeing that the protests occurred as far south as North Carolina was also refreshing. It brought a more whole perspective on the situation; this was really all 13 colonies under a common cause.
Bottom line: Pick this book up, even if you're not into reading about history too often. I was in the same boat, but had a gut feeling about this book. I was pleased in the end. I learned something and it's great to be able to take so much out of a book.
December 17, 2014
When this book arrived on my doorstep I thought it might provide some insight about how the facts of the Boston Tea Party have been distorted over the years.
Joseph Cummins does a great job of portraying the broader story of the Boston Tea Party, both it what caused the event and what happened during the event. It was in the context of repressive tax policies by the British Crown on the American colonies. But the problem with the tea in question is that was coming directly from the East India Company. However it was cheaper, even with the tax, than tea that was smuggled into the colonies.
The revolt was not just in Boston, but throughout the colonies. This book tells the story of others that happened just shortly after the events in Boston. The trouble is that it ends up being a re-hash of Boston. Telling the story of the others adds little to the story. The characters, motivations, and results end up being close to the same through out the colonies.
I found the epilogue to be much more interesting. It portrays how the event has been tamed over the years, losing the violence and commercial motives. I found the events around the bicentennial celebration in 1973 when various groups marched to the Boston waterfront and dumped tea into the harbor. First came the re-enactors, followed by Nixon protestors. Disabled Veterans showed up dressed as Indians and were followed by members of Boston's Indian Council who were protesting the Native American disguises. More and more protest groups followed taking advantage of the Tea Party as a symbol of protest.
That symbolism continues today.
Joseph Cummins does a great job of portraying the broader story of the Boston Tea Party, both it what caused the event and what happened during the event. It was in the context of repressive tax policies by the British Crown on the American colonies. But the problem with the tea in question is that was coming directly from the East India Company. However it was cheaper, even with the tax, than tea that was smuggled into the colonies.
The revolt was not just in Boston, but throughout the colonies. This book tells the story of others that happened just shortly after the events in Boston. The trouble is that it ends up being a re-hash of Boston. Telling the story of the others adds little to the story. The characters, motivations, and results end up being close to the same through out the colonies.
I found the epilogue to be much more interesting. It portrays how the event has been tamed over the years, losing the violence and commercial motives. I found the events around the bicentennial celebration in 1973 when various groups marched to the Boston waterfront and dumped tea into the harbor. First came the re-enactors, followed by Nixon protestors. Disabled Veterans showed up dressed as Indians and were followed by members of Boston's Indian Council who were protesting the Native American disguises. More and more protest groups followed taking advantage of the Tea Party as a symbol of protest.
That symbolism continues today.
May 9, 2016
When most kids learn about the Boston Tea Party in school, it is as a singular example of Boston's protest against British rule. What isn't taught, however, is that this event was just one example of a larger national trend and movement. Cummins describes the events of the Boston Tea Party, but also brings to light anti-tea protests in other communities around the 13 colonies. Even though patriots were all protesting the Tea Act, they did so in different ways, so that makes the book a little less repetitive than one might think. In some towns the tea was dumped in the harbor, elsewhere it was burnt and in other places it was sent back to England.
Positives - creates a more accurate account of colonial protest. It's well written and your average non-historian can easily understand what is going on. It provides good source information and quotes. It also takes differing social classes and women into perspective.
Negative - a fairly big one in that even though the quotes are great, there are no citations either as footnotes or endnotes. There is a brief bibliography, but that should be considered more of a "suggestions for further reading". I get that this book is aimed at the general public, but he could still include a few pages of citations and it wouldn't turn them off.
If you are into tea parties, or are looking for a book that is a bit more academic, I suggest you read The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution
Positives - creates a more accurate account of colonial protest. It's well written and your average non-historian can easily understand what is going on. It provides good source information and quotes. It also takes differing social classes and women into perspective.
Negative - a fairly big one in that even though the quotes are great, there are no citations either as footnotes or endnotes. There is a brief bibliography, but that should be considered more of a "suggestions for further reading". I get that this book is aimed at the general public, but he could still include a few pages of citations and it wouldn't turn them off.
If you are into tea parties, or are looking for a book that is a bit more academic, I suggest you read The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution
October 19, 2016
This was an interesting view of the role of tea and the power of protest in the American Colonies leading up to the American Revolution. Joseph Cummins does a good job of presenting the different attacks on tea that occurred in 1773 and 1774. He tells a story that is easy to follow and explains the important factors leading to the showdown between colonists and crown officials, especially for those who may not be as familiar with the setting. It is interesting to look at some of the lesser known examples of protests, especially in areas that are usually described as Loyalist. While the book serves as a very brief guide to the parties, it stays on the surface, focusing largely on what other historians have written, without bringing any new analysis of what lead to these protests or what they brought about.
The one downside to this book was that in the Afterword, Cummins tries to link the current connotation of the Tea Party political movement with the original Tea Parties protests in a way that I didn't find very compelling or convincing. He brushes very briefly on ways that the Tea Parties have been remembered and used during U.S. history and brings it to the modern day and then quickly cuts out without any real analysis of how either 'Tea Parties' relate to each other. I feel that if he was going to try to make that connection, it would require a whole book to chart the evolution of American protests and the use of symbolism like the tea protests.
The one downside to this book was that in the Afterword, Cummins tries to link the current connotation of the Tea Party political movement with the original Tea Parties protests in a way that I didn't find very compelling or convincing. He brushes very briefly on ways that the Tea Parties have been remembered and used during U.S. history and brings it to the modern day and then quickly cuts out without any real analysis of how either 'Tea Parties' relate to each other. I feel that if he was going to try to make that connection, it would require a whole book to chart the evolution of American protests and the use of symbolism like the tea protests.
January 16, 2012
An excellent little history book that tells of the other Tea Parties that took place in the colonies besides the one that we all learned about in Boston. Cummins gives us quick tour of what occurred not only in Boston but in other parts of the colonies as people rose up in protest against unfair taxes. Because of time and space many historical events are left out of the history books used in high schools and even colleges.
Cummins makes these events come to life and helps us to see that though the protests were against the same laws in some cases the events leading up to the tea parties were very different. But it was people from all classes that were involved in one way or another in the tea parties. Can you think of anyone who would be stuffing tea in their pants as they went about the process of destroying a shipload of tea. The important thing to remember is that the tea protests were actually against the monopoly that the government had given the East India Company in trading with the colonies.
A very interesting and illuminating historical work, especially if the Boston Tea Party is the only one you have heard of in your growing up. Very well done.
Cummins makes these events come to life and helps us to see that though the protests were against the same laws in some cases the events leading up to the tea parties were very different. But it was people from all classes that were involved in one way or another in the tea parties. Can you think of anyone who would be stuffing tea in their pants as they went about the process of destroying a shipload of tea. The important thing to remember is that the tea protests were actually against the monopoly that the government had given the East India Company in trading with the colonies.
A very interesting and illuminating historical work, especially if the Boston Tea Party is the only one you have heard of in your growing up. Very well done.
July 9, 2015
With "Ten Tea Parties: Patriotic Protests That History Forgot", Joseph Cummins attempts to tell the story of the tea parties that started in Boston in December 1773 & continued through December 1774. Each abbreviated chapter gives a summary of these various events as they occurred in the towns they occurred in. Where the book goes astray is that some of these tea parties are based on historical records which means the actual accounts may not be valid. Also, in the appendix, Cummins lists another 8 lesser parties that occurred from 12/12/1773-3/1/1775 some of which occurred in places not far the primary 10 covered & in the case of 1 was again in Boston. I also disliked the fact that in the Epilogue the author decided to equate the modern tea party movement as being a descendant of this prior movements which while likely true is completely out of place in this book which should've solely focused on the events at the end of the 18th century. Were it not for that unnecessary reference in the Epilogue, the book is so-so to me with its descriptions & does provide we the reader w/ a nice insight into something that I honestly wasn't aware of.
February 2, 2012
So I needed some history thrown into the Anne mania mix. I’m not quite sure that Ten Tea Parties really fits the bill. This is a book I received from goodreads.com in exchange for reviewing it. A fuller, more thought out review will follow, but for now I have to say… really?!? The author even admits that one of the tea parties was not really known and some of it was speculation.
It seems like it should fall into the category of politics, not history. Some of it certainly seemed historical, but some of it did not. The Epilogue made comparisons to the present day political movement with the same name. It just seemed a little too much of a promotion for the political party under the guise of history to me. Again, this is just my first impression and I’ll post a much more thoughtful review at another point.
It seems like it should fall into the category of politics, not history. Some of it certainly seemed historical, but some of it did not. The Epilogue made comparisons to the present day political movement with the same name. It just seemed a little too much of a promotion for the political party under the guise of history to me. Again, this is just my first impression and I’ll post a much more thoughtful review at another point.
January 3, 2012
If you thought the Boston Tea Party was the only one worth mentioning during the American Revolution, read up on the other nine-plus events that took place in Cummins' insightful book. Not only did these protests shape our nation;s early history, they became the model for several movements in the U.S. and abroad--and still continue to influence the ways in which citizens demonstrate today.
Most poignant to this reader were the Charleston, SC and Edenton, PA "parties" where tarring-and-feathering did not take place. The non-violent ways colonists decided to destroy the "noxious weed" were no less contentious than the more demonstrative events that Cummins reveals; all told, these events brought a nation together through civil disobedience and can inform the way in which we use the word "Patriot" through the 21st century--and beyond.
Most poignant to this reader were the Charleston, SC and Edenton, PA "parties" where tarring-and-feathering did not take place. The non-violent ways colonists decided to destroy the "noxious weed" were no less contentious than the more demonstrative events that Cummins reveals; all told, these events brought a nation together through civil disobedience and can inform the way in which we use the word "Patriot" through the 21st century--and beyond.
December 28, 2011
A series of actions including the Stamp Act, the Townsend Acts and the Boston Massacre agitated the colonists but when a tax on tea was enacted, the colonists were compelled to action. It led to protests all along the eastern coast including the well known Boston Tea party.
As a lover of history, I was fascinated by Cummins book. Having only learned about the Boston Tea Party from history classes, I was thrilled to learn about the ten tea parties forgotten. Joseph Cummins writes a new "history" book that doesn't read like your typical book. It is refreshing, enlightening and often funny. If you are a history fanatic and want a great and entertaining read, this is sure to bring enjoyment! Thanks Goodreads for the giveaway!
As a lover of history, I was fascinated by Cummins book. Having only learned about the Boston Tea Party from history classes, I was thrilled to learn about the ten tea parties forgotten. Joseph Cummins writes a new "history" book that doesn't read like your typical book. It is refreshing, enlightening and often funny. If you are a history fanatic and want a great and entertaining read, this is sure to bring enjoyment! Thanks Goodreads for the giveaway!
December 27, 2011
This was very informative. My dad the Tea Party Activist died from an accident last Thanksgiving, was my intro into the tea party stand now.
This book is full of tea parties through out history that I had never heard of. I actually plowed through it & couldn't put it down. I just realized I had it marked as currently reading instead of read. It is a book I will keep forever & share with my kids.
I am actually really excited to recommend this book. The tea party stand is not some random event or occurance but a repeat of past stands.
This book is full of tea parties through out history that I had never heard of. I actually plowed through it & couldn't put it down. I just realized I had it marked as currently reading instead of read. It is a book I will keep forever & share with my kids.
I am actually really excited to recommend this book. The tea party stand is not some random event or occurance but a repeat of past stands.
February 2, 2012
I thought this book was really great. It was very engaging from the beginning and there was just enough information about each event to make it interesting and not so much detail that distracted from the stories. It was really cool getting a glimpse into what life was like, not only for the colonies as a whole, but in each town. The political climates were different as were the patriots who performed the tea parties.
This is a fun, easy read that is perfect for anyone who likes to read about historical events.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fun, easy read that is perfect for anyone who likes to read about historical events.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2012
I found this book full of historical facts, I didn’t realize that more than two Tea Parties had taken place before the Revolutionary war.
How many Tea Parties can you remember being taught? I could only remind my self of two. So I found myself searching for the others while I was reading this book. I loved digging for my own historical facts to add to this book.
I enjoyed this book and if you enjoy historical facts and dates, you will also enjoy this little book on Ten Tea Parties that happen in which only two to maybe three are ever really mentioned in our school history books.
How many Tea Parties can you remember being taught? I could only remind my self of two. So I found myself searching for the others while I was reading this book. I loved digging for my own historical facts to add to this book.
I enjoyed this book and if you enjoy historical facts and dates, you will also enjoy this little book on Ten Tea Parties that happen in which only two to maybe three are ever really mentioned in our school history books.
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