The Tea Act of 1773 angered the American colonists. It continued the hated tax on tea, and established a monopoly on tea imports for the East India Company. In America it was seen as illegal, since the colonies had no representatives in Parliament. Ships that sailed shortly after the passage or the act met strong resistance. Only in Charleston, South Carolina was the tea off loaded. In other major ports:
- In New York, strong resolve by the Sons of Liberty helped form a boycott on tea that worked; the ships turned back without off-loading their cargo.
- In Philadelphia, the tea ships were intercepted before they reached port and turned back.
- In Boston, residents destroyed the tea from several ships in the now-famous Boston Tea Party.
Parliamentary Debate About Events In America
Parliament knew it must act. The financial loss to the East India Company was substantial, and compensation as well as punishment of the offenders was necessary. But this undisciplined public action in the northern colony was only the latest in a series. Boston, and Massachusetts, was out of control it seemed. If they didn't do something, the colonies would soon become completely independent of the Mother Country.
Benjamin Franklin was then in England as a representative of several of the colonies. He faced the full brunt of the government's anger. "For over an hour Franklin stood in silence in a room packed with the rulers of Britain while [Alexander] Wedderburn [the solicitor general] reviled hilm." [Middlekauff, p. 234] At this point in time, the British government--neither appointed officials or Parliament--had anyone who wanted to examine American grievances seriously.
Parliament Reacts with the Coercive Acts
Parliament entered into a month-long debate to consider what could be done. Their main concern was to establish that Parliament did indeed have authority over the colonies. On March 26, 1774 an act of punishment passed the House of Commons. This was the first of five acts that eventually became known in the colonies as the Intolerable Acts, also called the Coercive acts.
- Boston Port Bill – closed the port of Boston beginning June 15, 1774, until 1) the tea was paid for; 2) the colony apologized for its actions; and 3) the perpetrators were brought to justice.
- Massachusetts Government Act – severely curtailed the authority of the Massachusetts assemblies, as well as of the local assemblies in the towns in Massachusetts.
- Administration of Justice Act – “provided that any royal official accused of a capital crime…be sent to England or another colony for trial.” Parliament did not wish to allow local juries to continue to try officials appointed by the king, believing they could not receive fair trials in that colony.
- Quartering Act – applying to all colonies, this act allowed British troops to be quartered in unoccupied buildings when no barracks were available. This continued and expanded a policy already in effect in America, a policy that was unpopular.
- Quebec Act – enlarged the boundaries of Quebec Province at the expense of the colonies to the south. The act also allowed Catholics to have greater participation in government. Parliament did not see this act as punishing the unruly colonists, but the timing of its passage made it appear to be so.
The Colonies' Initial Reaction to the Intolerable Acts
The five acts were passed over a two month time period. News about them reached the colonies over time, first in mid-May 1774 when General Gates returned to America and assumed the governorship of Massachusetts (while still commanding British troops in that colony). He carried with him the Boston Port Act and other special instructions from Lord Dartmouth, British Secretary for the American colonies.
Whatever Parliament had hoped to accomplish with these acts did not happen. The immediate reaction in Massachusetts was to call for a boycott on all trade with Britain throughout the colonies. As news of the other acts reached America, colonial anger grew. Britain would have to rescind these acts and address the colonial grievances if they wanted to keep their American colonies part of the British Empire.
Sources:
The Annals of America, Vol 2, pages 248-256; Encyclopedia Brittanica, 1968
Robert Middlekauff, The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789, pages 233-241; Oxford University Press 2005
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