Module 5- The Boston Tea Party

The Seven Years’ War between the British and the French in America ended with the British gaining control of all land east of the Mississippi and control of Canada. This war did not come without a price. Britain was in need of revenues to repay the debt from the war, and to maintain a force of British soldiers in North America. (Faragher, 2006, 156) Britain also felt that it was time to reorganize its American empire. The Sugar Act of 1764 was a way for Britain to receive additional revenue from the colonies. The Stamp Act of 1765, the Declaratory Act of 1766, the Townshend Revenue Acts of 1767, and finally the Tea Act of 1773 followed this act.

Colonists were major consumers of tea, but due to the Townshend Act, and the subsequent collapse of the tea market, prices for tea were too high for many. (Faragher, 2006, 162) The British Parliament passed the Tea Act in order to lower prices enough for tea drinkers to afford. According to Faragher, “the radicals argued that this was merely a device to make palatable the payment of unconstitutional taxes.” The radicals felt that this was another effort from the British to corrupt the colonists. There was a mass meeting in Philadelphia, which decided that tea should not be imported. Boston also passed a resolution calling for the same as Philadelphia, but the tea agents resisted the call to refuse shipments. (Faragher, 2006, 163)

What happened next in Boston is remembered as the Boston Tea Party. Below is a first-hand account of the events that took place on December 17, 1773 by one of the participants, George Hewes.

"The tea destroyed was contained in three ships, lying near each other at what was called at that time Griffin's wharf, and were surrounded by armed ships of war, the commanders of which had publicly declared that if the rebels, as they were pleased to style the Bostonians, should not withdraw their opposition to the landing of the tea before a certain day, the 17th day of December, 1773, they should on that day force it on shore, under the cover of their cannon's mouth."

"On the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of the county of Suffolk, convened at one of the churches in Boston, for the purpose of consulting on what measures might be considered expedient to prevent the landing of the tea, or secure the people from the collection of the duty. At that meeting a committee was appointed to wait on Governor Hutchinson, and request him to inform them whether he would take any measures to satisfy the people on the object of the meeting."

"To the first application of this committee, the Governor told them he would give them a definite answer by five o'clock in the afternoon. At the hour appointed, the committee again repaired to the Governor's house, and on inquiry found he had gone to his country seat at Milton, a distance of about six miles. When the committee returned and informed the meeting of the absence of the Governor, there was a confused murmur among the members, and the meeting was immediately dissolved, many of them crying out, "Let every man do his duty, and be true to his country"; and there was a general huzza for Griffin's wharf."

"It was now evening, and I immediately dressed myself in the costume of an Indian, equipped with a small hatchet, which I and my associates denominated the tomahawk, with which, and a club, after having painted my face and hands with coal dust in the shop of a blacksmith, I repaired to Griffin's wharf, where the ships lay that contained the tea. When I first appeared in the street after being thus disguised, I fell in with many who were dressed, equipped and painted as I was, and who fell in with me and marched in order to the place of our destination."

"When we arrived at the wharf, there were three of our number who assumed an authority to direct our operations, to which we readily submitted. They divided us into three parties, for the purpose of boarding the three ships which contained the tea at the same time. The name of him who commanded the division to which I was assigned was Leonard Pitt. The names of the other commanders I never knew."

"We were immediately ordered by the respective commanders to board all the ships at the same time, which we promptly obeyed. The commander of the division to which I belonged, as soon as we were on board the ship appointed me boatswain, and ordered me to go to the captain and demand of him the keys to the hatches and a dozen candles. I made the demand accordingly, and the captain promptly replied, and delivered the articles; but requested me at the same time to do no damage to the ship or rigging."

"We then were ordered by our commander to open the hatches and take out all the chests of tea and throw them overboard, and we immediately proceeded to execute his orders, first cutting and splitting the chests with our tomahawks, so as thoroughly to expose them to the effects of the water."

"In about three hours from the time we went on board, we had thus broken and thrown overboard every tea chest to be found in the ship, while those in the other ships were disposing of the tea in the same way, at the same time. We were surrounded bv British armed ships, but no attempt was made to resist us."

"We then quietly retired to our several places of residence, without having any conversation with each other, or taking any measures to discover who were our associates; nor do I recollect of our having had the knowledge of the name of a single individual concerned in that affair, except that of Leonard Pitt, the commander of my division, whom I have mentioned. There appeared to be an understanding that each individual should volunteer his services, keep his own secret, and risk the consequence for himself. No disorder took place during that transaction, and it was observed at that time that the stillest night ensued that Boston had enjoyed for many months."

"During the time we were throwing the tea overboard, there were several attempts made by some of the citizens of Boston and its vicinity to carry off small quantities of it for their family use. To effect that object, they would watch their opportunity to snatch up a handful from the deck, where it became plentifully scattered, and put it into their pockets."

"One Captain O'Connor, whom I well knew, came on board for that purpose, and when he supposed he was not noticed, filled his pockets, and also the lining of his coat. But I had detected him and gave information to the captain of what he was doing. We were ordered to take him into custody, and just as he was stepping from the vessel, I seized him by the skirt of his coat, and in attempting to pull him back, I tore it off; but, springing forward, by a rapid effort he made his escape. He had, however, to run a gauntlet through the crowd upon the wharf nine each one, as he passed, giving him a kick or a stroke."

"Another attempt was made to save a little tea from the ruins of the cargo by a tall, aged man who wore a large cocked hat and white wig, which was fashionable at that time. He had sleightly slipped a little into his pocket, but being detected, they seized him and, taking his hat and wig from his head, threw them, together with the tea, of which they had emptied his pockets, into the water. In consideration of his advanced age, he was permitted to escape, with now and then a slight kick."

"The next morning, after we had cleared the ships of the tea, it was discovered that very considerable quantities of it were floating upon the surface of the water; and to prevent the possibility of any of its being saved for use, a number of small boats were manned by sailors and citizens, who rowed them into those parts of the harbor wherever the tea was visible, and by beating it with oars and paddles so thoroughly drenched it as to render its entire destruction inevitable."
-- George Hewes

Source: http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/teaparty.htm

I was hoping that when I found a first hand account of the Bopston Tea Party that I might discover something new that I didn't already know through previous learning. I did find it interesting that the British war ships did not attempt to stop the colonists from boarding the ships containg tea. I think the detailed description of various people taking some of the tea for themselves is accurate, but I wonder about the punishments. George Hewes was telling of the perpetrators being seized so that the tea was taken from them, and then they were allowed to leave with only some kicks from the colonists as they moved through the crowds. Hewes makes his account of the events sound very peaceful, but I find it hard to believe that him completely. We must keep in mind that the Boston Tea Party came after the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Declaratory Act, Townshend Revenue Acts, and Tea Act. Also tensions were still high from the result of the Boston Massacre. I think that tensions were high, colonists were at their breaking points, and the events of the Boston Tea Party did not run as smoothly as George Hewes describes. Do you feel that Hewes gave an accurate account of the Boston Tea Party, or do you think that he omitted some information to make the story sound good?