The Boston Tea Party
The Boston tea party is one of the most famous parties all over America and even in many places around the globe. The event took place in 1773 though the story had begun earlier than that and comprised of the ground-stone on which the American thoughts was grounded during the episodes leading up to the formation of American’s civil institutions.
In early 1690s.The East Indian Company was the main supplier of tea to all British colonies. The English Parliament signed a bill indicating that the British American colonies could not import anywhere else like china and Africa. This restriction led to low competition that gave Britain the chance to increase the tax on tea to a higher amount. The tea was sold off and the companies in Britain exported it to other colonies and merchants in Boston, New York, Charleston, and Philadelphia.
A significant problem erupted that a 25% tax was to be paid to East India Company for bringing tea to Britain and an extra tax for tea consumed in England only. Though the tea from the Dutch was tax free. This inevitably made the British American smuggle the Dutch tea at a cheaper prices and no tax. Eventually over half a decade, the Tea Act brought in the issue of low taxes and tea was then readmitted at a cheaper rate compared to the smuggled tea to the American colonies.
At this time, the East Indian Company that was facing a bankruptcy was now back into operation in full force. Seven of their ships were operating and this spread thousand chests until when protest erupted. Dutch Tea Company and the smugglers were out of business. The legitimate tea importers started claiming that the 1773 Tea Act gave monopoly to the East Indian Company.
According to Burgan, the Dartmouth (tea ship) arrived into Boston harbor late in 1773. A huge meeting that gathered many people were called. According to the British government law, the Dartmouth had twenty days to offload all its tea cargo before it was confiscated by levies officials. The people at the meeting agreed the Dartmouth captain was to return without unloading and making payments on the import duties. Hutchinson (governor) refused to give out permission the ship to leave without paying the duty. At the final Dartmouth’s deadline day, around seven thousand people met at the Old South Meeting House (OSMH). The governor still remained with his stand not to allow the ship to leave without paying, and the part began.
While Samuel Adams tried to calm down the people who were dressed as warriors and in Mohawk costumes attempting to put a symbol of over the European tradition. That same evening, three ships were boarded and within no time about three hundred chests were cast off overboard anctioned off wholesaled into the water of Boston Harbor.
Since then, tea has become a national favorite and with green tea and herbal tea available.
