The Boston Tea Party
Teatime
Although coffee eventually became America’s favorite hot beverage, the colonists were all about their tea. They’d drink it hot, with cured leaves that were grown in China and shipped to America from England and other parts of Europe. Some colonists believed tea had healing powers, while others simply enjoyed the taste. But everybody drank it all day, and oftentimes, multiple times a day. Afternoon tea was a social event where people would gather in parlors or kitchens. They wouldn’t typically serve food, as customary pastries like crumpets, cakes, and scones didn’t gain popularity until later. A tea party was a sign of status. The lady of the house would use fine silver and china to serve tea to her guests. Even children would host their own tea parties for other children.
Even the Patriots enjoyed their tea. And that’s one of the reasons they were so furious when the Tea Act was passed on May 10, 1773. The East India Company was having financial issues, and they were left with an oversupply of tea. They had produced too much and weren’t selling enough. The colonists had been drinking cheaper Dutch tea that had been smuggled in all throughout the 1700s. By 1772, the East India Company was stuck with eighteen million pounds of unsold tea. Something had to be done, otherwise the tea would rot away in its warehouse.
So, the British government passed the Tea Act. It said the colonists could only purchase tea from the East India Company. The Patriots were frustrated at this. It was another instance of Britain telling them what they could and could not do. They wanted the freedom to make their own decisions. Colonists throughout Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and more protested and urged tea merchants to stop trading with the East India Company. The protestors boycotted the British tea in stores.
A women’s organization, the Daughters of Liberty, began making alternative tea out of herbs and flowers from their own backyards. They participated in protests and riots started by the Sons of Liberty. The Daughters of Liberty also organized “spinning bees,” where groups of women would spin wool together to make up for a shortage of fabric. On one occasion, nearly one hundred Daughters of Liberty came together in Newport, Rhode Island, where they spent the day spinning 170 skeins of yarn to be made into fabric.
Samuel Adams continued to lead the Sons of Liberty in their organizing and plotting. But no matter what, King George and the Parliament would not repeal their Tea Act.
In September 1773, seven British ships containing 600,000 pounds of British tea set sail for Boston. This enraged the Bostonians. A mob took to the streets and attacked the home of Richard Clarke, one of the East India Company’s local merchants. Clarke and his family hid, terrified of the crowd. Eventually, someone fired a gun into the crowd, and the protesters stopped. But in other cities across the coast, protests were successful in intimidating East India Company agents to quit.
As the time passed, the standoff between the Patriots and the Loyalists grew more intense. Messages were sent to Governor Hutchinson repeatedly, telling him to send the ships back to Britain. But he refused. On November 28, 1773, the Dartmouth arrived in Boston. And the arrival of this ship was too much for any of the colonists, no matter whether Loyalist or Patriot, to ignore.
December 8, 1773
Now, Felicity has noticed another ship has docked in Boston Harbor. Felicity and her Aunt Charlotte passed them on the way to do some shopping. While out, Felicity peers in a shop window, and sees a lovely china bowl. Although Aunt Charlotte hesitates, the two enter the shop.
Inside, the shopkeeper recognizes Aunt Charlotte. She casually asks Aunt Charlotte to confirm that she’s a Daughter of Liberty. Aunt Charlotte states she is. When the shopkeeper questions why Aunt Charlotte has entered her shop, she responds that Felicity admired the china bowl in the window.
The shopkeeper nods that the bowl is very fine indeed. It was made in Wedgwood, England. Aunt Charlotte doesn’t approve of the shop selling “frippery and finery” that came from Britain. She ought to support the Patriots’ fight for justice.
Felicity’s heart swells with pride to hear her Aunt speak this way. She promises herself that she’ll always stand strong for what she believes is right, just like Aunt Charlotte.
The shopkeeper smirks, and responds that Aunt Charlotte ought to have loyalty to the King. After all, if the ships aren’t sent back to England in the next eight days, the British agents will seize the tea and start selling it, and charging the tax on it anyway. The shopkeeper has common sense, and refuses to stand against the King.
Aunt Charlotte, curtly, says that she has something better than common sense: principles. Aunt Charlotte believes the Patriots are right. The shopkeeper snorts and turns to Felicity, asking if Felicity would like to buy the bowl.
Felicity politely says, “No, thank you.” The bowl from England doesn’t look quite so lovely anymore.