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On December 16, 1773 in the evening in Boston Harbor, colonists living in the area boarded the decks of three ships carrying tea and dumped it into the water over the course of a few hours. This was an act of defiance against the Tea Act of 1773 which increased the price of Tea for English colonists living in the New World. This event is a perfect example of the well known phrase, "no taxation without representation" and therefore is an essential part of the narrative of the revolution.
The Boston Tea Party is an integral part of US History. It is seen as an early moment in the American Revolution and is a piece of American idenitity. The patriotic scene of the colonists dumping the British tea over the side of the ships into Boston Harbor is a quintessential moment in the beginning of the United States of America.
While this event was absolutely an important part in the foundation of the Revolution, it is often misremembered or not looked at deeply enough when Americans look back on it. Like many other aspects of the American Revolution, it is looked at from the point of view of the victors. The colonists are painted as poor victims of the overbearing regime of the English who had no choice but to act out. They were pushed to their limit of tolerance and finally just had enough. However, I wanted to look at this event deeper and see exactly how the event played out. I also wanted to look at how an act of revolt and destruction might be viewed today in comparison to how the Boston Tea Party is remembered.
