The Boston Tea Party occurred due to the high prices of tea imposed by the British government. The Tea Party took place in Boston Harbor on December 16, 1773. Three hundred and forty trunks were seized by the Sons of Liberty and thrown into the water. From this act of civil disobedience resulted several Acts in the following months. The Tea Party also helped spark the American Revolution that led to America becoming its own country; free from the rule of Great Britain. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The whole idea behind the Boston Tea Party came about after many years of taxes being imposed on their tea due to luxury taxes. Great Britain had taken part in the French and Indian War by conquering several French territories. This however was very costly for Britain and the growing issues of the imperial government grew. The British government imposed a Revenue Act. Which imposed taxes on many goods. Tea, imported only from China, was the most precious and made it a luxury item (Black 1). The Revenue Act would pay the cost of civil government in the northern colonies. North Americans were against this idea, but it helped the British East India Company strengthen the empire. After competing sales from the Dutch, the Tea Act was passed which allowed the company to sell directly to America thus reducing costs and helping to bring sales back to Britain. This allowed the East India Company to sell tax-free from Britain (Browden). Americans still had to pay the tariff, which caused rifts among activists. The lower costs reduced the volume of smuggling and created a monopoly on the tea market. The Tea Party was carried forward by the Sons of Liberty. Samuel Adams ran the resistance and the group was made up of all males from all walks of life. Hundreds took part in the Tea Party. They dressed as Mohawk Indians in an attempt to disguise themselves. If they were caught she would definitely be punished severely. While they disguised themselves, they also wore it to show that they were now Americans and no longer considered themselves to be under British rule. On the night of December 16, 1773. Hundreds of men dressed as Indians boarded three ships; the Dartmouth, the Eleanor and the Beaver. 340 chests of tea, weighing over 92,000 pounds, were opened and thrown into Boston Harbor. The cost of damage in 1773 was £9,659, $1.7 million in today's money (Boston Tea Party Facts). No physical damage was done to the ships, crew or any property except a padlock which was replaced the next day by the Sons of Liberty. The Sons of Liberty even went so far as to clean up the mess they had made before disembarking their ships. After the Tea Party the port was closed until all 340 chests of tea were paid for. The 92,000 pounds of tea made the port stink for weeks after the event. The Intolerable Acts were carried out to recover this money from the Americans. Among these intolerable acts were the Boston Port Act (which allowed the closure of the port until the price was paid), the Massachusetts Government Act (revoked the colony's charter of 1691), the Administration of Justice Act (suspended the right of self-government), the Quartering Act (forced local colonial governments to provide supplies and housing to British soldiers in the 13 colonies), and the Quebec Act (which gave Quebec territory west of the Mississippi and north of the Hudson Bay Territory) (Acts intolerable). This, of course, made the American colonists very angry and united them even more. The First Continental Congress was held in September and October 1774 to present.
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