The Boston Tea Party is often simplified as colonists throwing tea into the water.
The story involves complex issues: imperial intrigue, corporate crisis, and grassroots origins of the American Revolution.
Popularity of Tea in the 1700s
Tea consumption was extremely high in England: nearly 300 cups per person annually.
American colonists also embraced tea, consuming over a million pounds by the 1760s.
Taxation and Representation
Britain wanted to tax tea sold in America, leading to discontent among colonists.
Key phrase: "No taxation without representation" - colonists believed they shouldn't be taxed without representation in Parliament.
Many colonists dodged taxes, smuggling about 75% of the tea they consumed, primarily from Holland.
British Response
Britain, after incurring debt from the Seven Years' War, sought to tax American imports.
In 1767, new taxes were imposed, including on tea, leading to boycotts and self-brewing.
Tensions escalated, culminating in the Boston Massacre where British troops fired on a mob, killing several.
The Tea Act of 1773
Parliament's solution: East India Company sells surplus tea directly in America, lowering prices but retaining taxes.
Colonists viewed this as a monopoly and rejected the move.
The Boston Tea Party
December 16, 1773: 5,000 Bostonians gathered at Old South Meeting House to discuss tea shipments.
Sam Adams called for action; about 50 men, some dressed as Native Americans, dumped 340 tea chests into the harbor.
British Repercussions
British government responded with the Coercive Acts of 1774.
These acts included closing the port of Boston until compensation for the dumped tea was paid, which never occurred.
Continental Response
Representatives from the colonies met at the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
They supported the destruction of tea, pledged to maintain the boycott, and became more united in their resistance to British oppression.
Conclusion
The Boston Tea Party set off a chain reaction leading to the Declaration of Independence and ultimately a rebellion, allowing the new nation to drink tea in peace.