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The Boston Tea Party is an episode that is lodged forever more in history. An incident stemming from the Colonists anger towards their British rulers in the Eighteenth Century.

A succession of actions such as the 1765 Stamp Act and the 1767 Townsend Act resulted in a continued disapproval on how the colonies were expected to pay taxes set out by the British Government, despite having no colonial representation in Parliament.

Imagine the increased hatred when Parliament decided to add yet another tax, to the imported tea. The plan was simple. The British Government would give the sole rights to the British East India Company to sell tea to the Colonists. Despite the costs of the tea being lower than from the Colonial Merchants, the idea of there being yet another tax levied, without proper representation, incensed further the already hostile relations.

This culmination in anger resulted in the now infamous incident known today as the Boston Tea Party.

In Philadelphia and New York ships laden with tea were refused entry. The same story was repeated in Charleston. The tea was shipped in, but was to remain stored in warehouses and not distributed amongst the colonists.

The arrival of the Beaver, Dartmouth and the Eleanor in Boston Harbor was deemed enough. Action was to be taken to represent the dismay towards the British Government, despite a plea from the Governor of Massachusetts that the tea be unloaded from the ships and the appropriate taxes and duty be paid by the Colonists.

On the night of the 17th December 1773, a group of American Colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded the three ships and destroyed 45 tonnes of crates of tea by disposing of them over board into the harbor waters. An act to make a statement towards the British rulers that the Colonies would not accept the treatment being received.

The reply from the British Government. Simple. Another Act. The 1774 Intolerable Acts which amongst other aspects caused the closure of the Boston Harbor.

The combined result of this incidence was a benchmark for the progression towards another famous point in history. The 'American War of Independence.'

Learn more about this author, James Mockridge..
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