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How a Tea Party Led To America's Revolution

Jul 18, 2019 By Kayode Oseh 3.5K

The Boston Tea Party was a political protest that occurred on December 16, 1773, in Boston, Massachusetts. American colonists where furious and angry at Britain for imposing “taxation on them without them having any representation in the parliament. The event was the first major act of disobedience to British rule over the colonists. However, the disobedience was for a good course, It showed Great Britain that Americans would not sit down to watch tyrants rule over them. This was actually the first struggle for the American independence.

Earlier in the 1760s, Britain was deep in debt, so British Parliament imposed a series of taxes on American colonists to help pay those debts.

They taxed Americans on virtually every piece of printed paper they used, from playing cards and business licenses to newspapers and legal documents, hand bills and flyers etc. the taxation even went further to affect essentials such as paint, paper, glass, lead including tea.

Britain felt the taxes were fair since much of its debt was earned fighting wars on the colonists behalf. The colonists, however, disagreed. They felt it was unfair for the Britain to impose tax on them to generate revenue without them having any representatives in the parliament.

Before then, in in May 10, 1773, the Tea Act was made and the act allowed the British company to import tea from China and sell to American without paying taxes, While the Americans where instructed to be the ones to pay the tax. All these mishaps actually contributed to the American fight for Independent. 

What Happened at the Boston Tea Party?

That night, a large group of men – who were reported to be the Sons of Liberty – disguised themselves in Native American garb, boarded the docked ships and threw 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. The British government responded harshly and the episode escalated into the American Revolution. The Tea Party became an iconic event of American history.



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