Starting on October 16th, our Ms. Murphy’s upper school United States history class put Sam Adams on trial.

This trial was held after the class first learned the history behind the incident of the Boston Tea Party. For the trial, the class was divided into three groups: prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, and witnesses. Students then had to prepare accordingly for their specific role.  The attorneys planned questions to ask witnesses and readied evidence to provide to Judge Murphy.

The witnesses had to prepare their account of that December night in 1773, as they were to be questioned later. The students were required to wear attire appropriate to that of the 1700’s with everyone in at least slacks, dress shoes, a button-down dress shirt, a jabot and matching rough cuffed sleeves.

The point of this trial was to learn the ins and outs of the judicial system through acting out a trial and to better understand the consequences of the happenings of the Boston Tea Party.