The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists against taxation by the British government. It occurred on December 16,1773, at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. During the event, colonists destroyed an entire shipment of tea that had been sent by the East India Company.
Reactions by the Colonists
The colonists were greatly opposed to the Tea Act that had been passed by the British in 1773, which allowed the East India Company to sell tea even cheaper in the colonies than in England. This would mean less money for the colonial merchants. Because of this, the colonists reacted to the Tea Act with a swift and severe rebuke.
- Strong Opposition – Colonists strongly objected to the Tea Act and unanimously resolved against purchasing any tea from the East India Company.
- Physical Protests – To protest against the Tea Act and taxation without representation, the Sons of Liberty staged the Boston Tea Party in order to burn a shipment of tea sent by the East India Company to Boston.
- Boycotts of British Goods – The colonists followed the Boston Tea Party by boycotting more goods imported from Britain, such as tea and paper.
- Rebellions – As a result of the colonist’s growing frustration, rebellions broke out in Boston, Philadelphia, and New York.
The Boston Tea Party was a pivotal moment in the colonies’ fight for liberty and autonomy from British rule. The defiant and unified action taken by the colonists was a monumental display of their uprising against the unjust taxes imposed by the British government. Still remembered today, the Boston Tea Party served as an important political and social event that helped shape the American Revolution and paved the way for independence.
