Premium Essay

The 18th Century: The Boston Tea Party

Submitted By
Words 1204
Pages 5
The 18th Century was a transformative time for the American colonies that would culminate in a war with England and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This eventual rejection of British rule was the end result of decades of conflicting ideas concerning territory in America, taxes and trade, and the right of self-governance by the colonies. The British Parliament believed they had supreme authority over all British subjects and because of this, a conflict would grow and the relationship between the colonies and England would change from that of cooperation to one of suspicion and hostility.
The official break with England may have happened in 1776 with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but it started with colonial …show more content…
This lowered the tax on British tea and allowed direct sale in the colonies which made it cheaper than smuggled tea. After the recent perception of overreach by Parliament, the colonists just saw another attempt to legitimize taxation through virtual representation. In protest, disguised colonists dumped a large and expensive amount of tea into the Boston Harbor the same year. The Boston Tea Party as it was known, set off a legal chain reaction from Parliament in 1774 meant to punish Massachusetts and known in the colonies as the Intolerable Acts. Boston harbor was closed, the democratic process in Massachusetts was suspended, and officials were now appointed by the royal governor. Military commanders were now allowed to house soldiers wherever they saw fit, which included private residences, and any trial of appointed officials accused of capital crimes would occur in England rather than in local courts. But the final insult for the colonists was the Quebec Act. Parliament allowed French colonists in the Quebec territory to continue the practice of French civil law and Catholicism after becoming British subjects following the war. They were also granted land in the disputed Ohio territory that led to the French and Indian War and was subsequently denied to the British colonists on the winning side. The colonies formed the First Continental Congress for the purpose of a united voice of dissent and to exclaim the right of the colonies to self-governance and self-taxation. But Parliament had already declared their supremacy in these matters and considered any such congress illegitimate. The seeds of inevitable war were

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Massachusetts Rebellion: The Boston Tea Party

...Here in Massachusetts we are planning a rebellion known as the Boston Tea Party.We are doing the Boston Tea Party because the British are taxing us unfairly and they are making laws that we don’t even agree with. One thing that we dislike about the king is that he is always raising the taxes on the tea.The reason he had raised the taxes was because the french and Indian war was costly so he had to raise money by raising the taxes. We already have a crew of about 116 people. For us not to be recognized we will dress as Indians and sneak onto to the harbor and dump as much tea as we can into the harbor.I think that the british is planning revenge so we need to be a head of the Game. Contrary to popular belief, the British...

Words: 278 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Boston Tea Party Book Report

...The Boston Tea Party was a turn point in the revolution and is still one of the most symbolizing acts done during the revolution. The Boston Tea Party was an event that happened in Boston because the tea had some taxes that were lowered but not removed. The Sons of Liberty were in charge of dumping over 300 boxes of tea in Boston Harbor. This was caused due to various reasons including the tax without representation issue in which the British were taxing the colonies without them having any representation in parliament. This book talks about various things that changed America in the 18th century, as suggested by the title. This book contains various fascinating events that are explained of the how, why, when and where of many important historical...

Words: 460 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Before 1776: Causes Of The American Revolution

...representation, the boycotts of British goods, and the Boston Tea Party, as examples. But the tensions that led the American colonists to wage war against Britain had existed over a century before the first battles and involved a series of different gripes with the government besides taxation. Over the course of a hundred years, the colonies grew distrustful and disdainful towards their government, and increasing violence in the 1770s finally led to the Revolutionary War. Many people erroneously believe that the causes for the American Revolution stem from the colonists having a different cultural identity than the British. American colonists in the 18th century saw themselves as English, not American, and emulated British clothing, architecture, and etiquette in a process called Anglicization. Furthermore, there was no united “American” identity between the thirteen colonies at the time. Each region “had developed...

Words: 1434 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

History

...Kevin Nguyen History G170 Professor Mcclain Midterm Exam The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by an organization of patriots that was formed in the 13th colonies, called the Sons of Liberty. In this protest, the East India Company had delivered an entire shipment of tea to Boston; however, the shipment was not successfully shipped due to angry colonists protesting against “No taxation without representation”. These colonists were furious because they were taxed by the British Parliament, when they are only represented by their own elected representatives. The Intolerable acts were passed by the British Parliament after this protest to punish the American patriots which took away their self-government government rights. The British Parliament also passed the Stamp Act of 1765 which taxed the British colonists on printed materials. Obviously, the colonists were pissed -- “No taxation without representation” -- so they protested against the act, which was repealed on March 18th, 1766. Throughout the 13th centuries, the North American colonists were under the control of Great Britain, which meant that they were paying unfair taxes and forced to participate in wars. They rebelled against many of these unfair taxes such as the Boston Tea Party and the Stamp Act of 1765, and they were just sick of being under the control of unfair government. This eventually lead on to the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, by the Continental Congress stating their...

Words: 329 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Causes of the Revolution

...Associate Level Material Appendix B Causes of the Revolution Complete the grid by describing each pre-war event and explaining how it contributed to the Revolutionary War. |Pre-War Event |Description |Contribution to the Revolutionary War | |French and Indian War|Lasted from 1756-1763 and was the bloodiest American war in the 18th century and took more|The disagreement caused the colonists to believe that they would be looked at by the | | |lives that the American Revolution. It involved people on three different continents |British as one colony instead of separate colonies. The people resented any efforts | | |including the Caribbean. This was a clash between the French and the English over |from the British. | | |territory and wealth. The war was also known as The Seven Years War. For the first three | | | |years of the war, the outnumbered French dominated the battlefield, soundly defeating the | | | |English in battles at Fort Oswego and Ticonderoga. Perhaps the most notorious battle...

Words: 834 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Jodie

...1764. Put taxes on sugar and |The taxe were too high. | | |molasses. | | |Stamp Act |The act which imposed a tax on all paper documents in the colonies. |Caused rebellion and lead to the Townshed Act. | |Townshend Acts |The act imposed duties on glass, lead, paints, paper and tea imports into the |Caused rebellion and riots on both sides of the atlantic. | | |colonies. | | |Tea Act |Theacts main purpose was not to raise revenue from the colonies but to bail out |It damaged the position of independent shippers, smugglers, and local shopkeepers. | | |the floundering East India Company. |...

Words: 357 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

How Did The Boston Tea Party Affect The American Colonists?

...Puritan colonists from England founded Boston, Massachusetts on September 17, 1630. Early European settlers first called this area Trimountaine, but later decided on to name the town after Boston, Lincolnshire, England. A strict and well-structured Puritan society developed in Boston. They founded the first public school in the U.S. called Boston Latin School in 1635. Boston counted as the largest town in British North America until Philadelphia became larger in the mid-18th century. In the 1770s after the British attempted to put a stronger control on the original thirteen colonies the American Revolution began. Many major battles occurred in the Boston area among them one of the best-known the Boston Tea Party. During this time Paul Revere...

Words: 411 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Comparision of the Causes and Results of the French and American Revolutions

...The American and French Revolutions had a common goal. Compare and contrast the causes and practices of the American and French Revolution. Throughout human history, few have always controlled the lives of many. This case still exists today, as governments consisting of a few hundred people attempt to do what is best for millions of others. However, the public through an electoral process most commonly selects these decision-makers. These decision-making individuals were not always selected by the public, and in some such instances, the few that ruled over others were overthrown after their actions earned the discontent of the people. Both the American Revolution and the French Revolution can be grouped as these events. In both the American and French Revolution, the ruler was regarded as a tyrant and overthrown for the benefit of the public. Although the aims of the two revolutions were quite similar, there were many differences between them. The American Revolution and the French Revolution can be categorized as events where rulers were overthrown due to their actions; however, no matter how similar the causes, there are many differences between the events of the two revolutions. The French-Indian War of 1754 was a war between the British and the French to gain control over North American colonies. The British eventually defeated the French but owed a great debt and expected the colonies to help pay for the cost of the war. The British wished to cut down on costs in its North...

Words: 3376 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Boston Tea Party

...examine the events and issues surrounding the Boston Tea Party. The intention of the research will be to set the overall order of issues that emerged and establish the political context in which the Tea Party would take place, and then to discuss the impact of the incident on the colonies, that would ultimately lead to the Revolutionary War. Understanding the importance of the Boston Tea Party cannot be obtained without an understanding of the issues and events that preceded it. The Party, which occurred in 1773, had its origins several years earlier, in the wake of the French and Indian War, which ended in 1763. In 1766, Parliament passed the Quartering Act, which provided for "billeting, provisioning and discipline of British forces, requiring colonial assemblies to provide barracks and supplies such as candles, fuel, vinegar, beer and salt for the regulars, costs of the Army in America at the 'dictate' of Parliament" (Tuchman 167). Further to this point, the Seven Years' War was over; why the need for such a large standing army in America? This first Quartering Act was, however, obeyed in general terms, and even partly rescinded as to enforcement (182), until other Parliamentary measures pointed up colonists' feeling of oppression. By 1767, the Stamp Act had been passed, and then revoked in the face of an American boycott of covered goods. In 1767, the Townshend Acts legalized import duties on "glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea." The stated resolution of these duties...

Words: 2662 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

What Role Did Massachusetts Play In American History

...The many of the first few acts of rebellion were carried out in Massachusetts such as the boston tea party and many various meetings to plan the revolution. Many members of the sons of liberty were from Massachusetts too and they were very crucial in spreading patriotic sentiments all over the states. Massachusetts held a very important role in the America’s fight for independence and as such it is very easy to see the cultural and historical significance of the state. In this essay we will look at the cultural contributions, persons, and socio-economic situations of pre 20th century...

Words: 3408 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

How Did The Boston Massacre Contribute To The American Revolution

...American colonies should no longer be a part of Great Britain. Through a combination of organized protests against wrongful taxation, the Sons of Liberty established America’s freedom. A strong rebellion created and nourished by the Sons of Liberty in 18th century America represents one of the greatest achievements of civil disobedience. The group of shopkeepers, rebels, and artisans met in the Summer of 1965 to discuss the problems with the recently imposed Stamp Act and Sugar Act. The Stamp Act required that paper products used in the colonies, such as...

Words: 1337 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Ink Made of Tea Bag

...Ink Made from Tea Bags By: John Emman A. (Title Page not in format.. Pakiformat nalang po since I’m not aware kung anong design gusto mo po.. Thank you.. You may also include acknowledgement to be followed po ang final prod. You can also add table of contents) Introduction “The very ink with which all history is written is merely fluid prejudice” Ink is such a tiny word, three letters, but it has played such a huge part on the stage of world history. The original use for ink was to draw and paint on the walls of caves a lasting legacy of prehistoric man. However, its greatest impact was to spread knowledge, in the form of the printed word, long before Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press in Germany in the mid fifteenth Century. Ink has been a dye since the dawn of man; early examples were a mixture of soot from wood smoke and oil, thickened with gelatin from animal skins and musk. There is no definitive history of ink, ironic really, when it ink was the medium used to preserve the archives, and historic records that tell us much of our past. Ink is everywhere, though we often do not notice it, it has been used to print the labels of the food in the supermarket; it drips, leaks, splodges, and spurts from the faulty ballpoint pen in your pocket. Yet it has a direct impact on our everyday life, it is not possible to function without touching ink at least a couple of hundred times a day. Fraudulent acts have been come to light because of ink analysis. Ink is a medium that...

Words: 2966 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Great Britain's Dependence On The Colonies Essay

...Great Britain’s Dependence on the Colonies During the late 18th century, many would argue the British colonies’ eagerness to fight for independence would be disastrous politically, economically, and militarily; however, it was the most convenient time for their independence to occur. While the colonies had ties with Great Britain, they were slowly breaking and had the right tools to succeed as their own nation. The colonies had three advantages to be a successful nation. First, their experience being under monarchy rule allowed them to not follow into the same steps and find another form of government. Second, they had strong ties with other empires that allowed them to trade without high tariffs. Third, growth in the colonies was higher than Great Britain’s and had enough people to fight against the British Redcoats. America began as a...

Words: 1090 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Ap Us History Quiz Essay

...American colonists by mid-18th century? Loyalists and Patriots 21. What is mercantilism? How did this policy affect Britain’s relationship with the colonies? Mercantilism = a country’s economic power is defined through the amount of gold and silver it has in its treasury. Colonies gave a country an advantage, so it was important to utilise that. Therefore, Britain viewed the colonies as a method of procuring money. 22. When and why does Britain’s policy of salutary neglect change in the colonies? At the end of the French and Indian war, Britain had massive amounts of debt. That was a good time to start ACTUALLY taxing America and enforcing rules. 23. Please find the following information about the Stamp Act: People/Agencies involved, events, resolution, & consequences of resolution -People involved: Colonists, lawyers, manufacturers, Prime Minister George Grenville, Sons of Liberty -Events: Boycott British goods, ‘No taxation without representation’, leaders of 9/13 colonies meet and decide to boycott British goods -Resolution: Repeal Stamp Act -Consequences of Resolution: Declaratory Act (Parliament can ‘bind colonies’ whenever they want) 24. Outline the main points of the Townshend Acts. Taxes on: lead, paper, paint, and tea Later repealed (except for tea) 25. How did women get involved in protests in the colonies? (look for examples throughout this chapter) Daughters of Liberty Made items to be used in place of British goods 26. Identify the Boston Massacre (Who? What?...

Words: 2613 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

The War Of Words: Terrorism, By Geoffrey Nunberg

...for some a sense of paranoia. It has also created a hatred towards those who seek to terrorize the United States. One must ask what is terrorism exactly and why does it happen? The word terrorism was first used in the late 18th century. In Geoffrey Nunberg’s essay “The War of Words: “Terror” and “Terrorism” he uses French Revolutionary Robespierre’s definition of terror as “nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible; it is therefore an emanation of virtue” (Nunberg 433). Terrorism was the action of a people who were working for and ideological cause. It was a means of bringing about change. Whether the action was positive or negative was determined by the group defining it. While those acting to bring...

Words: 1009 - Pages: 5