The Boston Tea Party Importance 

The American history is full of the events that arouse interest for more attentive and detailed studies. The Boston Tea Party is one of such episodes. Many scholars and historians consider it as one of the most crucial events in the American history. In fact, it was a symbolic act that demonstrated the Americans’ readiness to fight for their freedom despite all the difficulties. While the further history had examples of many events that reflected the same American love of freedom, this episode was the first one to show it and start the new period in the life of the country. Hence, the Boston Tea Party was the first colonists` significant act, which became known as a great event in the American history. Even though this Act is commonly viewed from the perspective of the US history, interestingly, it also has a great importance for the entire world and keeps inspiring people to fight for their own freedom till nowadays. Moreover, its consequences have become vital not only for the US, but for all countries as it has contributed to the initiation of the strong player on the economic and political arena. Hence, this paper analyses the Boston Tea Party and its great importance not only for the American history, but for the world history in general.

The Underlying Reasons of the Boston Tea Party

Some believe that one of the underlying reasons of the Boston Tea Party was the colonists` aggressive attitude towards the civilized Britain. Moreover, it is a common thought that such actions could not be considered as correct in the international community eyes in the light of the current events. The major reason was that Britain was an empire and its actions always  as the right choice. Nonetheless, such position is arguable. In order to understand it, one should consider the following events. In the American colonies, the tea became a very popular drink from the 18th century and the colonists used it in great amounts. Therefore, such popularity led to the understanding that Britain could receive more money from the American colonies by implementing high taxes on the tea trade. In response to the increased tea costs from the British side, the American colonists started smuggling tea from the European market to reduce the expenses. The Navigation Acts, which came into force in the 17th century, forbade these activities. As a consequence, the tea smuggling had an extremely negative impact on the British tea trade and to solve this problem in 1767 the Parliament established the Indemnity Act. This Act led to the changes in tea taxes and the British tea prices became the same as the Dutch ones, thus such policy damaged the tea smuggling seriously. Nonetheless, within some time the Townshend Revenue Act provided the new taxes on tea. Even more, it implemented the taxes not only on  tea, but also on paint, paper, glass and oil. Hence, it caused many boycotts and protests and to deal with them in 1770 the government decided to repeal it. The Tea Act came into force in 1773. At the same time, the tea smuggling level increased and it became the American colonists` business. In this area, John Hancock and Samuel Adams were the most famous people. It is noteworthy that the British government did not change the taxes that the Townshend Revenue introduced and ignored all offers to waive it. The American colonists were furious about British government’s attitude and they were certain that the Tea Act was just a method that had to provide the colonists` support of the tax policy, established by the previous act. In fact, one can see that these beliefs contained a statement of the reason. Therefore, it is obvious that the British attitude toward the colonies was far from civilized, because Britain was using the colonies as a source greedily. Hence, the reaction of the colonists was defensible, in case it was a reaction of the freemen.

The Importance and Participants of the Event

Some believe that the Boston Tea Party was just a similar waste of the goods and had no real importance or any sense at all. However, this position is completely wrong, because this event showed the world that people can fight for their own country and freedom, despite the serious oppress. The Boston Tea Party occurred on the 16th of December 1773 and lasted for three hours. In autumn of the same year, the ships of one of the British companies filled with tea took a direction to the colonists. Some of the ships went to New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston, while others to Boston. Together with such action, the Tea Act provoked a strong opposition. At that time, an opposition group, entitled Sons of Liberty, came into sight. This group`s members actively participated in a campaign, the main aim of which was to convince the government to change the situation. This group consisted of the patriots headed by Samuel Adams. Among the members were mostly males from different parts of the society. On the day, when the Boston Tea Party began, several thousands of people gathered together to express their opposition. Everything began with the people`s protest, organized by Adams. All people united near the Old South Meeting House and the Boston Tea Party began, when the Governor refused to let the ships leave. The oppositionists have planned a change in the Indian costumes, so no one could recognize them, because the protest was illegal. Hence, the group of men in the Indian costumes boarded three vessels and threw all tea in the water. The Mohawk warriors` costumes were symbolic to show clearly everyone that the Sons of Liberty could bear resemblance only with America, but not with Great Britain. Hence, this event indicated the bright patriotism of the Americans and it was a great example of how people can oppose their rights’ violation. That was not the waste of time or property, because it was a bright symbolic act that showed the great patriotism level.

Was the Boston Tea Party Violent?

Another common argument for the Boston Tea Party is that this event is violent itself and only led to another violence. The main point is that the international community could not learn anything appropriate from this event. However, this position is doubtful, because the  hostile attitude was the result of the harsh oppression from the British side and after the event the Parliament decided not find any compromise, but oppress the Americans rights even more. Hence, Samuel Adams tried to protect the oppositionists and argued that such actions were lawless, because they aimed at the constitutional rights` protection of every person. Besides, exactly this was the main goal of the protest. In their turn, in Britain, the colonists lost even little support that they had had before, and the Parliament decided to stand against the colonists` actions as the unified state body. It closed the Boston Port and implemented the Intolerable Acts to punish the colonists. The main goal of these Acts was to penalize the colonists for the private property destruction and to renew the Great Britain authority. However, these laws were violating the colonial charters and constitutional rights harshly. Hence, all colonists around America have decided to gather in even harder opposition. As a result, in 1774, they held the First Continental Congress with an intention of  petitioning the British Parliament to repeal the harsh punitive acts. However, even a short attention was not given to the petition and this led to the Second Continental Congress development. Exactly between these two Congresses, the American Revolutionary War began and the Second Continental Congress participated in it. Therefore, exactly Britain`s decision not to consider the Americans rights led to the violent solution of the problem. In such a way, the Boston Tea Party can demonstrate the world that the compromise alternative decline can lead only to the increased violence.

The Boston Tea Party Inspiring Patriots

Moreover, the Boston Tea Party inspired the world with the own example of readiness to fight for freedom and independence. In general, the Boston Tea Party inspires many colonists and the similar acts were enforced. For instance, when the news about  the Boston Harbor reached South Carolina, the local patriots also decided to protest the Parliament`s rules. As the compelling reason for the South, the prominent tea supplies were  in Charlestown. Hence, teenagers in town went from door to door, asking people to abandon their tea and in November 1774, three merchants that owned the tea entered the ships docked in the harbor and threw the tea overboard. Therefore, people around the country were gathering together to oppose the Britain’s dictatorship and to prove everyone that they would do anything to protect their rights and freedom. Additionally, such example showed the whole world how free people have to struggle for their independence.

The Long-Term Value of the Event 

The Boston Tea Party has a great meaning for the American`s history. It is critical to understand that the Boston Tea Party is one of the most important elements in the America`s history. The main point is that exactly from this event began the awareness of own independence that in the result helped in the conflict with Britain. The colonists became even more independent and the confidence in own strength and freedom seriously increased. The culmination of the opposition to Britain became the Revolutionary War that arose after two years of the Boston Tea Party. This document  is of the first magnitude for the America`s history and some researchers believe that this is one of the most important documents in the world, because it is the evidence of freedom. Maybe the Boston Tea Party did not lead to the immediate results, but it fired the patriotic feeling in the Americans. That event gave the colonists the strong motivation to fight for their own rights and to risk their lives in the war for the independence and freedom. Moreover, the Boston Tea Party has a great meaning, because it keeps inspiring not only American, but other people to fight against the injustice in the world. What is more, that event showed that the compromise could regulate all conflicts and the refusal to listen to the other party leads only to the violence. 

Conclusion

To make a significant conclusion, it is critical to notice that the Boston Tea Party played a great role in the America`s history. Such event was like a start point in the new independent nation creation that would fight for own liberty and rights. However, the Boston Tea Party is crucial not only in the American history`s context, but for the whole world, because it still keeps inspiring people to fight against the injustice and to protect your own rights and liberties. Moreover, it teaches all people that it is essential to listen to each other and try to find the compromise in order to prevent the increased violence. Hence, the Boston Tea Party was the highly significant event not only for the Americans, but for the whole world.

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