The Tea Act of 1773

Tea Act of 1773

The Tea Act of 1773 was the last act passed before the Sons of Liberty decided to organize the Boston Tea Party and loudly show their opposition to the British Crown.

Why was it passed?

The main reason this tea Act was passed was to provide the East India Company enough money to get out of bankruptcy and to create a monopoly on the tea trade in America. In other words the British did not want the colonists in the new land to make tea of their own and no longer purchase tea from Britain. This Act was passed purely to bring more money to Britain and show their control over the colonies.

What did the Tea Act do?

There was already an existing tax on tea, this influx of taxes on items such as tea started mainly in 1767. This new tax in 1773 actually did not impose any new taxes and just promoted the East India Company to have a monopoly over tea sales in the new colonies. 

Why did it upset the colonists so much?

The colonist had already been upset with the British crown for their continuous increase of taxes and acts. In the years prior to the Tea Act of 1773, the British parliament passed the Intolerable Act and the Stamp Act which greatly hurt merchants and commoners living in the 13 colonies. When the Stamp Act of 1773 was passed colonists felt that this was the last straw and decided to show their opposition in The Boston Tea Party.

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