Background of Boston Tea Party

The night on December 16^th, 1776 in Boston in Massachusetts, three groups, almost fifty colonists who wore and painted their bodies and faces as the Native Indian attacked the ships with tea boxes from English East India Company that came to the Boston Harbor. In this night, those people threw 342 boxes of tea away to the Boston Harbor. This event is not just a battle of colonists and English East India Company, but this event is located as a symbolical event of an American independent revolution. This event is called as Boston Tea Party, and from this event, colonists in North America increased having desire for an independence from England.

In eighteen century, Great Britain and France had several battles in North America to acquire their own colonies. In 1754, French and Indian War occurred, and it lasted until 1763. French and Indian War was war of French army that connects Indian with alliance and British army, so it is called as “French and Indian War”. It included some wars that related to battles of Great Britain and France. In 1756, the Seven Year’ War occurred involving Great Britain, France, Russia, Austria, and other European countries. During the wars, Great Britain and France repeated the seesaw, however, Great Britain sent 20,000 soldiers to the North America and it took the advantage to the France. At the last, in 1763, Great Britain acquired Canada and Louisiana by Treaty of Paris. Because those wars lasted totally nine years, both Great Britain and France spent so much money for those wars, so they had heavy debts. Great Britain had 130 million pounds as its debt. To collect money, Great Britain decided to tax on some products that are sold at colonies in North America. Those actions afflicted colonists in North America, and increased their dissatisfaction.

In 1765, Great Britain established the Stamp Act to the North American colonies. This act imposed taxes on newspapers, brochures, published matter, any prints, and even playing cards. In 1767, Great Britain also established the Townshend Acts, and it imposed taxes on tea, glass, papers, paint, and any other products that are sold at North American colonies. Great Britain established these acts to collect money from its colonies; however, these acts were good only for Great Britain, and there were no benefit for North American colonies, so colonist’s dissatisfaction had increased.

In addition to above, in 1773, Great Britain also established the Tea Act that imposed tax on tea. It expanded the British East India Company’s monopoly on the tea trade to all British colonies, selling excess tea at a reduced price. Colonist’s living was almost controlled by British government, and colonists were intolerant of any tax rise any more, and their desire to independent had increased.

Then, on December 16^th 1776, colonists made an action to oppose to British government at Boston Harbor. The Boston Tea Party was an explosion of colonists’ anger, and since this event, colonists came to consider their independence more. After the Boston Tea Party, Great Britain gave some colonies own autonomy, and declared the severance of British interference to colonies’ economy.

Boston Tea Party

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h646.html

The Boston Tea Party, 1773

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm

Boston Tea Party, ships and museum

http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/history.asp

Boston Tea Party

http://www.kidport.com/reflib/usahistory/americanrevolution/teaparty.htm