The Boston Tea Party triggered the American Revolution because it launched a series of coordinated protests of American colonies against British efforts to increase its political control over New England through taxes and acts restricting self-government.
The Boston Tea Party was aimed at showing dissatisfaction with the right of the British to rule over everything. The American Revolution is often misinterpreted as being only about taxes or tea. While increased taxes and tea were certainly important, Americans were dissatisfied with the lack of power in decision making and political representation. The Boston Tea Party was the most illustrative example of the discontent of Americans with their legal powerlessness. The British Empire waged an expensive war, the Seven Years War. When the war ended in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris, the British Empire had to pay off its huge war debt, so it decided to raise taxes on colonial trade (Carp, 2010). Smuggling was a common practice for American merchants to avoid these taxes. However, thanks to the Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765, the British made it very difficult for Americans to avoid paying taxes on trade (Carp, 2010). The British also took control over trails because they wanted to end smuggling. Moreover, the British government created a board of customs, so American merchants who were used to smuggling could not help but pay taxes to the British government.
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This angered most colonists and they united against the British. The coordinated action of Americans, including boycott, made the British repeal taxes on all products, except tea. However, Americans were still not satisfied because they felt that they, but not the British, should decide on such important matters as taxes. The fact that the British had the power to tax such a universal product as tea, meant that they could tax anything they deem desirable. This only fueled the American discontent with their lack of power and they wanted to do something about it, which led to the Boston Tea Party. Alexander Hodgdon was on board the Dartmouth during the Boston Tea Party. He witnessed the events of that night. According to Hodgdon (1999), a body of nearly one thousand people came on board the ship. Some participants disguised themselves because for the fear of being prosecuted. The participants hove 80 whole and 34 half chests of tea all overboard, where it was damaged and lost. The tea was owned by the East India Company.
The Boston Tea Party was a great example of a coordinated action of Americans against the British rule. Americans thought that the British Empire would finally leave them alone. However, the British had no intention to lose their grip over the colony so they passed the so-called Intolerable Acts. With the passage of these acts that restricted self-government and threatened colonists’ interests, Americans responded even more vigorously starting the American revolution. The colonies passed several resolutions that urged Americans to disobey new acts, cease paying taxes and be ready for war with Britain (Carp, 2010). What is more important, for the first time in history, most colonies gathered together on the Continental Congress to organize the resistance against the British government.
To sum up, the Boston Tea Party triggered the American Revolution. It was a strong response of colonists against British political dominance and unlimited power. After the Boston Tea Party, the British tried to maintain its dominance over New England, however, the colonies responded with an unparalleled unitedness leading to the American Revolution.
- Carp, B. L. (2010). Defiance of the Patriots: The Boston Tea Party & the Making of America. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
- Hodgdon, A. (1999). Description of the Boston Tea Party. In American Journey. The American Revolution. Woodbridge, CT: Primary Source Media.
