History Today: When Pakistani Taliban attacked a Peshwar school killing 132 children

One of the most chilling incidents of terrorism took place when Taliban gunmen opened fire inside the Army Public School in Peshawar on December 16, 2014. More than 140 people lost their lives, including 132 children.

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On this day in 1773, the Boston Tea Party took place, which became a defining act of resistance leading to the American Revolution.

Here is all that took place on this day across the world.

Peshawar school attack

One of the most horrific school massacres in history took place on December 16, 2014, in Peshawar, Pakistan. Seven Pakistani Taliban gunmen forced their way into the Army Public School, where students were gathered for classes and exams. The attackers moved through the building, targeting children and staff with deliberate brutality. Many students were trapped in classrooms and assembly halls with little chance to escape.

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By the time the operation ended, nearly 149 people had been killed, including 132 school children. The scale of the violence shocked the country. Families rushed to hospitals in search of their children, while news channels carried scenes of grief from the school grounds. The attack triggered immediate national mourning and a wave of anger aimed at the militants who claimed responsibility. Leaders across the political spectrum condemned the assault, calling it an attack on the future of Pakistan.

Army soldiers enter the Army Public School which was attacked by Taliban gunmen in Peshawar. File Image/Reuters

In the weeks that followed, the government responded with stronger counterterrorism measures, including the launch of military operations against militant networks. In a dramatic shift, Pakistan temporarily reversed its ban on the death penalty, making the crucial choice to resume executions only for those convicted of terrorism-related crimes. Schools across the country increased security, adding armed guards, boundary walls, and stricter entry controls.

The attack changed how Pakistan viewed the threat of extremism. Many people saw it as a turning point that demanded unity and a more decisive approach to security. Each year, December 16 is observed with memorials in Peshawar and other cities.

Boston Tea Party

On this day in 1773, the Boston Tea Party became one of the defining acts of resistance leading to the American Revolution.

The protest was a direct response to the Tea Act of 1773, passed by the British Parliament. The act granted the financially troubled British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies, allowing it to sell tea without paying the usual duties, thereby undercutting colonial merchants and smugglers.

Though the British tea was cheaper, the colonists viewed the act not as a commercial benefit, but as a deliberate political maneuver. They argued that it reinforced the Parliament's right to tax them without their consent, violating the fundamental principle of "no taxation without representation."

A painting of people dumping the tea leaves near the Boston Harbour. File image/Wikimedia Commons

That evening, thousands of people gathered at the Old South Meeting House to decide how to respond to the arrival of three British ships carrying tea. When it became clear that Governor Thomas Hutchinson would not allow the ships to leave without unloading their cargo and paying the tax, a group of men moved into action. Some disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians, both to signal rebellion and to hide their identities.

They marched to Griffin’s Wharf, boarded the ships, and spent roughly three hours throwing 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. They worked quickly and methodically, breaking open the crates and dumping the contents while crowds on the shore watched. The attack was careful in its own way as the men damaged only the tea, not the ships or other goods. By the time they finished, the harbour was coated with leaves of black tea.

Britain’s response was severe. Parliament passed the Coercive Acts, known in the colonies as the Intolerable Acts, which closed Boston’s port and tightened British control over Massachusetts. Instead of weakening the resistance, the punishment helped unite the colonies. News of the event spread quickly, encouraging other towns to take stronger positions against British authority.

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