How Much Did the British Raise Tea Taxes before the Boston Tea Party?
On December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty protested against the British Parliament by throwing an East India Company tea shipment into Boston Harbor. But why were they actually protesting? Contrary to popular belief, the British government did not raise the tax on tea before the Boston Tea Party.
This historic act of defiance by a group of American colonists was actually due to a cut in taxes. The East India Company, which held a monopoly on the tea trade, was struggling financially. To help the company, the British Parliament reduced the taxes levied on shipments to the American colonies. The Sons of Liberty were opposed to being taxed or ruled by Parliament without any colonial representation.
More about the Boston Tea Party :
- The term “Boston Tea Party” wasn’t used until the 1820s. In fact, when it occurred, the protest was generally ignored or looked down upon as an act of vandalism.
- It is thought to have taken around three hours for the Sons of Liberty to dump 340 chests of tea into the harbor.
- The tea destroyed during the protest would be worth approximately $1 million (USD) in the 2010s.
