Boston Port Act Primary Source Questions

1774
Protesters, some disguised as American Indians, destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company.
"Destruction of tea at Boston Harbor," Currier & Ives, hand-colored lithograph, 1846. Library of Congress

Read the Boston Port Act in its entirety here.


  1. What was the Boston Port Act issued in response to? What do you think was the purpose of the Act?
  2. What was the punishment for attempting to use the Boston Port?
  3. Who would be punished in instances of bribery attempts to work around the Port Act? What was the punishment?