Old South Meeting House

The Old South Meeting House is a historic building in Boston, Massachusetts that was used as a meeting place for colonists in the years leading up to the American Revolution. It was built in 1729 as the largest building in the city and was used as a meeting place and a haven for free speech and assembly.

One of the most significant events to take place at the Old South Meeting House was the Boston Tea Party, which occurred on December 16, 1773. The Tea Party was a protest by colonists who were angry about a tax that the British had imposed on tea. A group of colonists, led by Samuel Adams, met at the Old South Meeting House to discuss their grievances and decide on a course of action. After much debate, they decided to protest the tax by boarding three ships in the harbor and throwing the tea overboard. This event is considered a turning point in the American Revolution, as it marked the beginning of armed conflict between the colonists and the British.

In the years after the Revolution, the Old South Meeting House continued to be an important gathering place in Boston. It was used for a variety of purposes, including as a church, a school, and a theater. In 1877, the building was saved from demolition and turned into a museum, and it is now managed by the Old South Meeting House Association.

Today, the Old South Meeting House is a popular tourist attraction in Boston and is open to the public year-round. It is part of the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile walking tour of historic sites in the city, and is visited by millions of people each year. The building has been restored to its original appearance and features exhibits on the history of the American Revolution and the role that the Old South Meeting House played in that history.