The Tea Act - Reactions & responses
The tax left on Tea from the Townshend Acts made it easy for Parliament to pass the Tea Act of 1773.
To the surprise of Parliament, the colonists protested the Tea Act. The colonists were concerned that Parliament would make similar laws and hurt additional merchants too.
Although tea became cheaper, colonists were angered and the colonists responded with a boycott of British tea. The colonists enforced this boycott by not letting the East India Company unload their cargoes of tea that were docked in Boston Harbor.
To the surprise of Parliament, the colonists protested the Tea Act. The colonists were concerned that Parliament would make similar laws and hurt additional merchants too.
Although tea became cheaper, colonists were angered and the colonists responded with a boycott of British tea. The colonists enforced this boycott by not letting the East India Company unload their cargoes of tea that were docked in Boston Harbor.
The Boston Tea Party
The Governor of Massachusetts order the cargo to be unloaded and the taxes to be paid, but the Sons of Liberty would not allow it. The deadline had come and the Sons of Liberty urged the customs officers to let the ships leave without unloading but customs would not do it without the permission of the governor.
During a town meeting a group of men dressed like Mohawk Indians burst in yelling "Boston Harbor a teapot tonight". That night people watched quietly from shore as people dressed as Indians boarded the ships and broke open the tea chests and dumped the cargo in to the harbor. The event become known as the Boston Tea Party.
Colonists had mixed reactions about the Tea Party. Some supported it and others worried that it could encourage lawlessness in the colonies. Even colonists that condemned the act were shocked at Britain's response.
During a town meeting a group of men dressed like Mohawk Indians burst in yelling "Boston Harbor a teapot tonight". That night people watched quietly from shore as people dressed as Indians boarded the ships and broke open the tea chests and dumped the cargo in to the harbor. The event become known as the Boston Tea Party.
Colonists had mixed reactions about the Tea Party. Some supported it and others worried that it could encourage lawlessness in the colonies. Even colonists that condemned the act were shocked at Britain's response.
The Intolerable Acts
The British were outraged by the lawless behavior of the colonists in Boston. Parliament and King George acted to punish Massachusetts. First, Boston Harbor was closed and no ships could enter or leave until the colonists paid for all of the tea that was destroyed. Second, colonists could no longer have any more than one town meeting per year. Third, customs officers charged with major crimes were to be sent back to Britain for trial. Fourth, a new Quartering Act was passed that could allow British officers to force citizens to house troop. The colonists called these laws Intolerable Acts because they were so harsh.
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