The Boston Tea Party P2

Last week I ended by telling you about the Americans refusing to buy even the inexpensive tea because even that was taxed. Infuriated, Britain decided to force the Americans to buy it. As early historian John Fisk reported, “Lord North (the British Prime Minister) said, it was of no use for anyone to offer objections, for the king would have it so.” The tea was ordered to be sent to America. Americans would pay for it and there would be no opt-outs.

The patriots in the seaports where the tea ships would arrive held town meetings to decide what to do. When one tea ship docked in Boston, the patriots put guards on the craft; its tea was not to be unloaded. But the decision put the ship’s owner, Joseph Rotch, in a very difficult situation. He wanted to explain his dilemma to the Americans, so patriot leaders called for a public meeting at Boston’s Old South Meeting House. Approximately 7,000 citizens came to hear him.

He told the crowd that if he attempted to sail back to England without unloading the tea, his business, and perhaps even his life would be in danger, for the British had threatened to seize and confiscate his ships unless the tea was offloaded by a certain date.

Content Sourced From The American Story: The Beginnings by David Barton and Tim Barton.