1770
- finds Britain holding taxation on goods and tea sent to colonies across the pond as a measure of reducing tax burden in Britain. The steadfast position of unjustly over-taxing the colonists is beginning to wear on the new settlers as the colonies struggled to survive. In retribution and as a way of protest (and save some coinage), the colonists start consuming smuggled tea to avoid the tea-tax. English tea sales decline 70% in three years, as do the associated taxes to the King. With tax revenue declining and less-costly tea consumption increasing; British Parliament passes “The Tea Act” which intently grants a monopoly on tea importation for a narrowly bankrupt Indian tea company to sell tea to the colonies (but not Britain) – at a price (including duty) well below what even the tea-smugglers could compete against (the origins of Wal-Mart perhaps). The British assumed the Americans would flock to this new lower-cost offering (the roll-back pricing strategy is born); which indeed included tax – a posturing we now call the “back-door strategy”.
The Dartmouth cargo ship filled to the rafters with “Darjeeling Tea” arrives in the Boston Harbor – November 28, 1773. To the colonists; The Dartmouth represents oppression, unjust taxation, and forced governance – Samuel Adams assembles a group (a committee if you will) with the intent to stop The Dartmouth from docking in the Boston Harbor – a mob (or citizen action group as it is referred to today) is quickly organized and takes to the streets in opposition (AKA; an opposition rally).
Boston Governor Thomas Hutchinson declares the Dartmouth (and the other two tea-laden cargo ships now in the harbor) will be permitted to port and offshore their goods – and taxed, under the law. Duty was to occur within twenty days of a ship taking dock – December 16 deadline loomed over the watchful and restless colonists.
Samuel Adams rouses the colonists (call to action) by marching in the streets and holding frequent public meetings numbering in the thousands to voice in opposition the tea monopoly and taxation without justification – the origins of the million-man-march I presume.
It was at one of these public meetings (AKA: town hall meetings) that a resolution asking that the shipments of tea be returned to India was adopted. With several of the tea agents being relatives of the Governor, this resolution was quickly squashed (and thus lobbyists and filibustering were born).
With tensions running high and colonists in an uproar – The Dartmouth owner agrees to sail back to India, cargo intact. Britain, as a matter of principle (again) makes preparations to seize the ship on conditions of (you saw this coming) nonpayment-of taxes (precursor to the IRS?).
With this news and of the probability of The Dartmouth’s impeding capture, Sam Adams signals his Sons of Liberty supporters and; disguised as Mohawk Indians (and thus CIA black-ops gains root) closed the distance on the three ships…
Taking a stand against the oppressing governance, Sam Adams and crew boards the ships, and in utter defiance of Parliament and the King (talkin’ bout a revolution) removes the cargo from the ships holds and empties their contents into the Boston harbor.
This “Tea Party” scene was reenacted throughout the region (public service announcement) as a way of fostering support (political campaigning) for the Massachusetts position. Support for Sam Adams and the tea movement (the movement) ultimately culminated in the creation of the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia – September 1774. This delegation included George Washington, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, John Jay and John Dickinson among others who drafted our constitution and subsequent separation from Britain – and thus America was born.
Forward 236 years later and we still find ourselves being overly taxed without justification to a government that is self-serving and ignorant if not defiant of its constituents needs, forced to take shipments from overseas vendors whose profits do not benefit the mainland, politicians whose actions are narcissistic and for which lobby groups cater to in order to get a piece of the action, and a growing sense of resentment that government and governance isn’t working in “the people’s” best interest.
America – the time has come again to toss some tea…
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