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Today, America is commemorating the 250th anniversary of an event that greatly shaped its history: The Boston Tea Party.
The demonstration that occurred on December 16, 1773, known for the city in which it occurred and the main item that fueled the agitation, is considered a significant moment in the build-up to the American Revolution.
As we observe the anniversary on Saturday, let’s take a closer look at the events of the Boston Tea Party:
has finally arrived
The day of the demonstration has finally come.
The Boston Tea Party, which was not a genteel event depicted in children’s books or high society gatherings, was a demonstration against British taxes. Approximately 100 men boarded three ships at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts, and proceeded to destroy 46 tons of East India Company tea.
On that day, the Sons of Liberty, a political group dedicated to advocating for the rights of colonists, gathered numerous protestors to the dock to dump approximately 342 chests of tea into the water.
On the evening of December 16, Samuel Adams, a well-known figure in the Sons of Liberty, attended a gathering that would later be referred to as ‘The Body of the People’. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the matter concerning tea.
When Adams became aware of Governor Thomas Hutchinson’s unwavering stance on selling and taxing tea according to British wishes, he boldly declared, “This assembly can no longer protect our nation.”
As a result, there were loud outcries and protests from numerous attendees, who proceeded to rush the area dressed in Native American attire to conceal their identities and threw nearly £10,000 worth of tea into the Boston Harbor.
Their rebellious actions of causing damage were a component of a larger movement of demonstrations across the 13 colonies in North America, driven by their dissatisfaction with the British government.
What was the reason for the occurrence of the Boston Tea Party?
The American colonists were growing more and more displeased with Britain’s actions of implementing what was widely referred to as “taxation without representation.”
In the 1760s, Britain had accumulated a significant amount of debt, around £133 million, due to their involvement in the Seven Years’ War against France, which included disputes over land in North America. To address this debt, the British Parliament made the decision to impose several taxes on the American colonists.
Several measures were implemented in pursuit of this objective, such as the Stamp Act of 1965, which imposed taxes on colonists for nearly all printed materials they obtained, ranging from playing cards to pamphlets. Additionally, the Townshend Acts of 1767 levied taxes on goods such as paint, glass, and lead.
The Tea Act of 1773, passed in May, was a highly debated measure that permitted the British East India Company to sell tea to the colonies without duties and at lower prices compared to other tea companies. However, the colonists were still subject to taxation on the tea upon its arrival at their ports.
The British government believed the taxes to be just, given that much of their debt was incurred from fighting wars on behalf of the colonists and their lands. However, the colonists strongly objected, refusing to pay taxes without having a say in the government that was collecting them.
As demonstrations spread throughout North America, Britain eventually abolished multiple taxes. However, one tax remained: the profitable tea tax, which was generating around £1.2m annually for Britain.
Instead, the colonists refused to buy tea from the British East India Company and took action by not allowing their ships to dock or unload the tea. Instead, they chose to drink tea that was smuggled in from the Netherlands. This caused financial struggles for the company and threatened it with bankruptcy.
The growing dislike for the action and the broader consequences of lacking rights or representation resulted in the occurrence of the Boston Tea Party.
government’s handling of the pandemic has led to an increase in calls for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign.
There has been a growing dissatisfaction with the way the British government has managed the pandemic, resulting in a surge of demands for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to step down.
The animosity towards the British government was a long-standing sentiment among numerous colonies, predating the events of December 16, 1773.
During the years 1765 to 1770, the Sons of Liberty in various colonies worked to coordinate boycotts of British goods. They also engaged in aggressive tactics towards customs officers and British agents, and resorted to tar and feathering as punishment for those who violated the boycotts.
On March 5, 1770, a violent confrontation between American colonists and British soldiers in Boston, known as the Boston Massacre, resulted in one of the worst consequences of the resentment towards British rule.
The colonists grew increasingly irritated by the continuous presence of British soldiers in their towns. They began throwing snowballs, ice, and oyster shells at the soldiers who were stationed at the Boston Customs House.
New soldiers arrived, and five settlers were fatally shot when they attacked them – a pivotal moment for numerous individuals to turn against British authority.
Response to the Boston Tea Party
The event known as the Boston Tea Party is viewed as a significant moment that contributed to America’s fight for independence, intensifying the colonies’ resentment towards the British.
After Massachusetts was punished by losing its town elections and having Boston Harbor closed by Britain, the protest gained attention from esteemed colonists like John Adams, who later became the second president of the United States.
The events that followed the Boston Tea Party led to the creation of the Continental Congress in Massachusetts. This gathering of delegates from 12 out of 13 colonies addressed the growing discontent with British rule, ultimately resulting in the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the American Revolutionary War.
The Independent is a British online newspaper.
The Independent is an internet-based newspaper originating in the United Kingdom.
