Changes

Thus, although conflicts diminished somewhat from 1770 to 1773, colonists retained their opposition to British oppression.  The tea tax remained in effect, so many colonists refused to drink British tea, and once again, their boycott was felt in England.

Thus, although conflicts diminished somewhat from 1770 to 1773, colonists retained their opposition to British oppression.  The tea tax remained in effect, so many colonists refused to drink British tea, and once again, their boycott was felt in England.

Bent on destroying the colonists’ boycott of English tea, England next passed the Tea Act of 1773.  A large British tea company, the East India Company, lobbied for and obtained [[monopoly]] (exclusive) rights from the England.  The East India Company had a huge inventory of tea and received an exception from the tea tax.  The Company proceeded to import tea from this huge inventory to Boston Harbor, where it planned to undersell colonial merchants.  The Puritans of Massachusetts were outraged.  They tried to have the tea turned back to England, but the royally-appointed governor refused.  On December 16, 1773, a group of colonists led by Samuel Adams disguised themselves as Indians and boarded the tea ships.  They dumped all of its tea into Boston Harbor.  The task took an entire night, as the ships contained 350 chests of tea.  That tea was worth about 1.87 million dollars of today’s currency.

Bent on destroying the colonists’ boycott of English tea, England next passed the Tea Act of 1773.  A large British tea company, the East India Company, lobbied for and obtained [[monopoly]] (exclusive) rights from the England.  The East India Company had a huge inventory of tea and received an exception from the tea tax.  On the whole, this would have significantly lowered the price of tea in the colonies.  But colonists realized the danger that lay in the establishment of a monopoly on an item taxed as heavily as tea.  Resistance began to rise.

As further punishment, Britain passed the Coercive Acts, or the Intolerable Acts.  They revoked Massachusetts’ charter, closed Boston Harbor, installed a British general as governor, and repealed liberties like the right to hold town meetings.  The closing of the harbor, in particular, was a sore blow to Massachusetts’, whose economy was largely dependent on fishing and whaling.

 

As punishment, Britain passed the Coercive Acts, or the Intolerable Acts.  They revoked Massachusetts’ charter, closed Boston Harbor, installed a British general as governor, and repealed liberties like the right to hold town meetings.  The closing of the harbor, in particular, was a sore blow to Massachusetts’, whose economy was largely dependent on fishing and whaling.

 

In defiance, public sentiment turned violently against tea.  Coffee gradually replaced it, and continues to be more popular than tea in America to this day.

The British also passed the Quebec Act, which gave Canadians part of the Ohio Valley.  This infuriated the colonists.  In addition, the Act gave the French more freedoms, such as freedom of religion for the Catholic Church.  Colonists were angered because (1) they felt people in Quebec were getting more freedoms than they had and (2) they feared establishment of an Anglican Church in America.

The British also passed the Quebec Act, which gave Canadians part of the Ohio Valley.  This infuriated the colonists.  In addition, the Act gave the French more freedoms, such as freedom of religion for the Catholic Church.  Colonists were angered because (1) they felt people in Quebec were getting more freedoms than they had and (2) they feared establishment of an Anglican Church in America.