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The Boston Tea Party Benjamin Carp Tufts University October 24, 2013 00:44:55 In addition to objecting to taxation without representation, Bostonians protested the Tea Act of 1773 in part because it forced them to pay a tax on top of the monopoly prices set by the East India Company. They also opposed supporting the sons of the royally appointed governor who would benefit from the tax revenue. Benjamin Carp describes the Boston Tea Party, the local actions of a determined group of New Englanders, in the context of the global story of British interests in India, North America and the Caribbean. About the SpeakerBenjamin Carp is an associate professor of history at Brooklyn College. He is the author of Defiance of the Patriots: The Boston Tea Party and the Making of America (2010), which won the triennial Society of the Cincinnati Cox Book Prize in 2013, and Rebels Rising: Cities and the American Revolution (2007). With Richard D. Brown, he co-edited Major Problems in the Era of the American Revolution, 1760-1791: Documents and Essays, 3rd ed. (2014). In simplest terms, the Boston Tea Party happened as a result of “taxation without representation”, yet the cause is more complex than that. The American colonists believed Britain was unfairly taxing them to pay for expenses incurred during the French and Indian War. Additionally, colonists believed Parliament did not have the right to tax them because the American colonies were not represented in Parliament. Since the beginning of the 18th century, tea had been regularly imported to the American colonies. By the time of the Boston Tea Party, it has been estimated American colonists drank approximately 1.2 million pounds of tea each year. Britain realized it could make even more money off of the lucrative tea trade by imposing taxes onto the American colonies. In effect, the cost of British tea became high, and, in response, American colonists began a very lucrative industry of smuggling tea from the Dutch and other European markets. These smuggling operations violated the Navigation Acts which had been in place since the middle of the 17th century. The smuggling of tea was undercutting the lucrative British tea trade. In response to the smuggling, in 1767 Parliament passed the Indemnity Act, which repealed the tax on tea and made British tea the same price as the Dutch. The Indemnity Act greatly cut down on American tea smuggling, but later in 1767 a new tax on tea was put in place by the Townshend Revenue Act. The act also taxed glass, lead, oil, paint, and paper. Due to boycotts and protests, the Townshend Revenue Act taxes on all commodities except tea were repealed in 1770. In 1773, the Tea Act was passed and granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies. The smuggling of tea grew rampant and was a lucrative business venture for American colonists, such as John Hancock and Samuel Adams. The Townshend Revenue Act tea tax remained in place despite proposals to have it waived. American colonists were outraged over the tea tax. They believed the Tea Act was a tactic to gain colonial support for the tax already enforced. The direct sale of tea by agents of the British East India Company to the American colonies undercut the business of colonial merchants. The smuggled tea became more expensive than the British East India Company tea. Smugglers like John Hancock and Samuel Adams were trying to protect their economic interests by opposing the Tea Act, and Samuel Adams sold the opposition of British tea to the Patriots on the pretext of the abolishment of human rights by being taxed without representation. Who organized the Boston Tea Party?The Sons of Liberty. The Boston Tea Party was organized and carried out by a group of Patriots led by Samuel Adams known as the Sons of Liberty. The Sons of Liberty were made up of males from all walks of colonial society, and among its membership were artisans, craftsmen, business owners, tradesmen, apprentices, and common laborers who organized to defend their rights, and to protest and undermine British rule. Famous Boston Patriots who were members of the Sons of Liberty included John Adams, John Hancock, James Otis, Josiah Quincy, Paul Revere, and Dr. Joseph Warren. Incited by the Sons of Liberty, over 5,000 people gathered at the Old South Meeting House, the largest public building in Boston at the time, at 10:00 AM on December 16, 1773, to decide what was to be done about the tea and to plan the Boston Tea Party. What caused the Boston Tea Party?Many factors including “taxation without representation,” the 1767 Townshend Revenue Act, and the 1773 Tea Act. When did the Boston Tea Party happen?December 16, 1773. Where did the Boston Tea Party happen?Griffin’s Wharf. How many people participated in the Boston Tea Party?Hundreds.
How did the Sons of Liberty disguise themselves at the Boston Tea Party?American Indians. How many ships were involved?Three. Beaver Were the ships British?No. Where did the tea come from?China. We know Patriots were loyal to the American colonies, but what were people who remained loyal to Britain called?Tories, Loyalists, Royalists, or
King’s men. What damage did the Boston Tea Party cause?£9,659 worth of damage in 1773 currency. Did anyone die during the Boston Tea Party?No. What happened after the Tea Party?Boston Harbor was shut down. Who condemned the Boston Tea Party?George Washington Was there a second Boston Tea Party?There was a second Boston Tea Party three months
later. How many people were injured in the event?There was only one person injured in the event (and they mistakenly thought he was dead).
Who offered to pay for the tea that was dumped?Benjamin Franklin offered to pay for the tea that was dumped. Were the participants ever punished?The participants were never punished. Did the Boston Tea Party contribute to the American Revolution?The Boston Tea Party was the first significant act of defiance by American colonists and is a defining event in American history. The implication and impact of the Boston Tea Party were enormous ultimately leading to the start of the American Revolution which began in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775.
What was the most significant result of the Boston Tea Party?The Boston Tea Party was the first significant act of defiance by American colonists. The implication and impact of the Boston Tea Party was enormous ultimately leading to the sparking of the American Revolution which began in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775.
Why was the Boston Tea Party significant quizlet?The Boston Tea party was a major event in history because it led up to the revolutionary war. It showed rebellion and the want for independence. The Sons of Liberty dressed up as Mohawk Indians, boarded a tea ship, and threw off 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor.
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