Database: Tea Act

Date: Passed 1773

The Tea Act passed in 1773. It was an attempt by the British Government to prop up the British East India Company by allowing it to ship tea to the colonies directly from India - without having it go through Britain first. This made the tea much less expensive - even cheaper than the tea the Colonists were smuggling from the Dutch (to avoid paying British taxes).

The problem was that - even with the cheaper prices - the British government was still collecting tax on the tea. Meaning: buying the tea would run counter to the colonial "No Taxation without Representation" stance.

The move was seen as (and probably was) Parliament's sneaky attempt to get the colonists to unconsciously agree to one tax, in the hopes of implementing others. The Colonists didn't fall for it - and attempts to force the unloading of East India tea in Boston caused the Boston Tea Party - perhaps the worst tea party of all time.

It wasn't even catered. You people are savages.