Elgalad
12-15-2005, 06:49 PM
http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/3646/bostonteaparty17466on.jpg
Boston Tea Party, December 16, 1773
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...
Eyewitness Account continued Here. (http://earlyamerica.com/review/2005_winter_spring/boston_tea_party.htm)
232 years ago, the first American protest against economic globalisation took place in Boston Harbor. Most of us learned in school that the colonists were fed up by harsh tax increases imposed by England without any sort of representation in Parliament as "No Taxation without Representation!" became the rallying cry. But there is more to this story..
The Tea Act of 1773 was passed as a form of Corporate welfare for the multinational East India Company. The majority stockholders, including King George himself, as well as a number of English merchants and aristocrats were eager to boost profits in the company by reducing competition and in fact, driving out of business small colonial competitors. To this end, the Act slapped increases on duties and taxes paid by American colonists for all private import of tea. The East India Company however, received exemptions from these taxes and since it could then undercut local American tea importers and tea houses in every city in the colonies, it was well on the road to monopolizing the market.
This of course inflamed the colonists who weren't altogether pleased with being used as a captive revenue source for the world's largest multinational corporation. The Frontier spirit of the colonies had long bred independence in the individuals who had begun new lives here, and they were not about to take such patronizing sitting down! :grin:
So one chilly night in December they grabbed their hatchets and headed down to the dock. The rest as they say, is history.
Had this event never taken place, it's doubtful coffee would have become as popular as it is today. :thumb:
I'll have mine black, with one teaspoon of sugar, thank you.
-Elgalad
Boston Tea Party, December 16, 1773
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...
Eyewitness Account continued Here. (http://earlyamerica.com/review/2005_winter_spring/boston_tea_party.htm)
232 years ago, the first American protest against economic globalisation took place in Boston Harbor. Most of us learned in school that the colonists were fed up by harsh tax increases imposed by England without any sort of representation in Parliament as "No Taxation without Representation!" became the rallying cry. But there is more to this story..
The Tea Act of 1773 was passed as a form of Corporate welfare for the multinational East India Company. The majority stockholders, including King George himself, as well as a number of English merchants and aristocrats were eager to boost profits in the company by reducing competition and in fact, driving out of business small colonial competitors. To this end, the Act slapped increases on duties and taxes paid by American colonists for all private import of tea. The East India Company however, received exemptions from these taxes and since it could then undercut local American tea importers and tea houses in every city in the colonies, it was well on the road to monopolizing the market.
This of course inflamed the colonists who weren't altogether pleased with being used as a captive revenue source for the world's largest multinational corporation. The Frontier spirit of the colonies had long bred independence in the individuals who had begun new lives here, and they were not about to take such patronizing sitting down! :grin:
So one chilly night in December they grabbed their hatchets and headed down to the dock. The rest as they say, is history.
Had this event never taken place, it's doubtful coffee would have become as popular as it is today. :thumb:
I'll have mine black, with one teaspoon of sugar, thank you.
-Elgalad