........Massachusetts citizens disguised as Indians threw the contents of 340 chest of tea, loaded on three British ships in Boston Harbor, into the bay. The date was December 16, 1773.
This is one of the incidents that led to the Revolutionary War in America.
Colonists were upset over British taxes in general and the tax on tea was so high that they would often drink smugled Dutch Tea. Despite the lowering of the Tea tax in 1767, Colonist continued to push for the removal of the tax.
In 1773, the British government allowed the British East India Company a substantial tax rebate on tea shipped to America, to keep it from bankruptcy. Soon tea was on its way to Boston, consigned to individuals who were given a monopoly on its sale. Colonist feared the tea monopoly would put local merchants out of business, and that other retail businesses might also be made into monopolies. Colonist believe the lower tax rates were actually moves by the British to enforce the tea tax.
When the tea arrived in Boston Harbor, the Committee of Correspondence protested its arrival, and called on Governor Thomas Hutchinson to order the loaded ships back to England. Hutchinson refused. About 7,000 persons gathered at the Old South Church. They repeated the request to Hutchinson, who refused again. At a signal believed to have been given by Samuel Adams, 40 to 50 men boarded the unguarded ships, broke open the tea chests, and dumped the tea into the harbor.
This is one of the incidents that led to the Revolutionary War in America.
Colonists were upset over British taxes in general and the tax on tea was so high that they would often drink smugled Dutch Tea. Despite the lowering of the Tea tax in 1767, Colonist continued to push for the removal of the tax.
In 1773, the British government allowed the British East India Company a substantial tax rebate on tea shipped to America, to keep it from bankruptcy. Soon tea was on its way to Boston, consigned to individuals who were given a monopoly on its sale. Colonist feared the tea monopoly would put local merchants out of business, and that other retail businesses might also be made into monopolies. Colonist believe the lower tax rates were actually moves by the British to enforce the tea tax.
When the tea arrived in Boston Harbor, the Committee of Correspondence protested its arrival, and called on Governor Thomas Hutchinson to order the loaded ships back to England. Hutchinson refused. About 7,000 persons gathered at the Old South Church. They repeated the request to Hutchinson, who refused again. At a signal believed to have been given by Samuel Adams, 40 to 50 men boarded the unguarded ships, broke open the tea chests, and dumped the tea into the harbor.
