Resenting taxes imposed by the British parliament, patriot protests escalate to a peak on December 16, 1773 with the destruction of a shipment of tea, known as 'the Boston Tea Party'. The British government punished Massachusetts by closing the port of Boston and taking away self-government. The Patriots responded by setting up a shadow government that took control of the province outside of Boston and would place General George Washington to take charge of militia units besieging British forces stationed in Boston,