One topic I have explored in depth in History 1301 includes the Boston Tea Party. While studying about the Boston Tea Party, I have learned that it took place at Griffin’s Warf in Boston Massachusetts on December 16, 1773. The Boston Tea Party erupted because a group of American colonists were upset with Britain for imposing taxation without representation.
As a result, this group of American colonists dumped 342 chests of British tea into the harbor. This event consisted of the first act of defiance. It also showed Britain that the colonists would not just allow the taxation without a fight. The British imposed these taxes on the colonists because they were so in debt. Britain felt that these taxes were fair because most of their debt was from fighting wars on behalf of the American colonists.
The colonists disagreed with Britain and were mad about being taxed without having representation in parliament. They felt it was wrong for Britain to put taxes on them in order to gain revenue with the exception of the Tea Tax. Britain eventually repealed all other taxes.
In addition, the British did not want to give up the tax revenue on the roughly 1.2 million pounds of tea the colonists drank every year. Furthermore, colonists boycotted in protest any tea sold by The British East India Company and they also smuggled in Dutch tea. This protest left the British Company with millions of pounds of tea and facing bankruptcy.
