Essay On The Boston Tea Party

691 Words2 Pages

The Boston Tea Party played a significant role in the creation of the United States and the Revolutionary War. Prior to the imposition of taxes on tea, the colonists had already been subjected to the Quartering and Sugar Acts, which they vehemently opposed due to the British invasion of their homes and belongings. The colonists decided to boycott British goods, which proved successful in getting both acts repealed. However, this angered Parliament, which responded by imposing more taxes on the colonists. The colonists were taxed on various items, including coffee, sugar, glass, paper, wine, and printed materials. Despite the fact that there were no elected members from the colonists in Parliament, they were still taxed. The British East India Company, which was already in debt to the British Crown, sought to export tea directly from their Chinese warehouses to the American colonies to avoid shipping it through Britain. The Tea Act of 1773 was passed, which imposed a duty of £1/80 per pound on directly imported tea. Although this act would have saved colonists money, they still opposed it and refused to purchase the tea. The Boston Tea Party was a direct result of this opposition, and it inspired similar acts of protest throughout the colonies. The British Parliament responded by passing the Coercive Acts, which closed the ports and occupied Boston with troops. The colonists called for a Continental Congress and began preparing for war, which ultimately began on April 19, 1775, at Lexington Green and Concord Bridge.

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