The Controversy Surrounding the Boston Tea Party's Significance and Legality
Rhode Island claims that the burning of the HMS Gaspee in 1772, 18 months before the Boston Tea Party, was the first major armed act of rebellion by American colonists and played a significant role in unifying the colonies for the war to come. However, the Gaspee affair has been largely forgotten outside of Rhode Island and remains little studied by historians of the American Revolution. Rhode Island-based historians argue that the state's own contributions to the revolution, including being the first colony to declare independence from Britain, have been overshadowed by Massachusetts and Virginia. Efforts are now being made to ensure that the burning of the Gaspee is not forgotten and receives more recognition in history textbooks.