1773+the+Boston+Tea+Party

=[|T]he Boston Thea Party= On May 10, 1773, the British parliament authorized the East India Co to export a half million pounds of tea to the American colonies for the purpose of selling it with high duties. With these privileges, the company could undersell American merchants and monopolize the colonial tea trade. Not only did this action create an unfair commerce to the merchants of the colonies but it proved to be the spark that revived American passions about the issue of taxation without representation. This was not the first time that the colonists were treated unfairly. In previous years, the 13 colonies saw a number of commercial tariffs including the Sugar Act of 1764, which taxed sugar, coffee, and wine, the Stamp Act of 1765, which put a tax on all printed matter, such as newspapers and playing cards, and the Townshend Acts in 1767 which placed taxes on items like glass, paints, paper, and tea. The Tea Act of 1773 was the last straw.



Three ships from London, sailed into Boston Harbor, November 28th to December 8, 1773. Loaded with tea from the East India Company. The ships were anchored at Griffin's Wharf and prevented unloading their tea because the tea would be seized for failure to pay customs duties, and eventually become available for sale.

On a cold evening in of December 16, 1773, a large band of patriots, disguised as Mohawk Indians came from the South Meeting House with the spirit of freedom burning in their eyes. The patriots ran down towards to Griffin's Wharf and the three ships.

They Quickly and quietly boarded each of the tea ships. When they were on board, the patriots began to strike the chests with axes and hatchets. Thousands of people where watching in silence. Once the crates were open, the patriots dumped the tea into the sea.

The silence was broken by the cry of "East Indian" when patriots caught Charles O'Conner. They filled the lining of his coat with tea. One of the patriot, removed O'Connor's coat, threatened him with death if he revealed the identity of any man present, and sent him out of town. They were afraid of being attacked by the Parliament at any moment and that made them work very feverishly. By nine o'clock p.m., patriots had thrown a total of 342 crates of tea into Boston Harbor. Fearing any connection to their treasonous deed, the patriots took off their shoes and shook them overboard. They swept the ships' decks, and made each ship's first mate attest that only the tea was damaged.

Montague's words were to be an omen for the patriots. The party was indeed over for Boston.

John Adams described the event as "the most magnificent moment of all - an epoch of history." King George's purported response to the rebellion was more subdued: "So they threw their tea in the harbor. Let them drink coffee."

Faisal:

Nice presentation with a nice picture showing how the incident took place.

Was America British colony or they had local authority at that time? Didn't Britain do any revenge relating to what happened?