The punishment was collective, and it was calculated. King George III didn't jus

1774 Event

Boston Port Closed: Britain Punishes Massachusetts, Revolution Follows

The punishment was collective, and it was calculated. King George III didn't just fine Boston for dumping tea—he starved it. The Boston Port Act shut down all commerce on June 1, 1774, blocking food, fuel, and supplies until Massachusetts paid for 342 chests of ruined tea. Parliament assumed the colony would cave within weeks. Instead, rice arrived from South Carolina. Wheat from Virginia. The other colonies didn't abandon Boston—they fed it, creating the first real network of American unity. Britain's attempt to isolate the radicals accidentally built the supply chains that would sustain Washington's army two years later. Economic warfare works best when your enemy actually stands alone.

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March 31, 1774

252 years ago

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Boston Port Closed: Britain Punishes Massachusetts, Revolution Follows

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