- The Tea Act lowered taxes on tea shipped by the British East India Company, undercutting prices of smuggled Dutch tea and angering many colonists. - In December 1773, a group of colonists dressed as Native Americans boarded ships in Boston Harbor and threw hundreds of chests of British East India Company tea overboard, an event known as the Boston Tea Party. - In response, Britain passed the Intolerable Acts to punish Boston and close its port, further increasing tensions between Britain and the colonies. This led the colonies to form the First Continental Congress and begin organizing militias in preparation for conflict with Britain.

1. FROM PROTEST TO REBELLION Unit 2 – Chapter 5 – Section 3

2. A Dispute Over Tea During the early 1770’s colonial protests against British Policies quieted down. Most of the previous acts were repealed, but a tax on tea remained. (taxation without representation) The Tea Act This act was intended to help the British East India (BEI) Company. The act lifted the restraint on the Navigation Act that required BEI Company ships to go to Britain B/4 going to the colonies. This actually lowered the cost of tea in the colonies. ( So you would think that the colonists would be thankful)

3. A Dispute Over Tea Continued The Tea Act enraged many colonists because many merchants were selling smuggled Dutch tea in the colonies for a lower price than BEI Company tea. The Tea Act lowered the price of BEI Company tea and undercut the smugglers profit margins. The Boston Tea Party Sons of Liberty work to stop BEI Company from unloading their tea from ships Threats to ship captains This stopped tea from unloading in NY, Philadelphia, and other ports.

4. A Dispute Over Tea Continued In Boston, MA Governor Hutchinson made sure that all BEI Company tea was unloaded. Hutchinson refused to grant them papers to return to England. Tensions between Britain & Colonists boil up. December 16, 1773 a large group of men throw 342 cases of tea into the harbor as a large crowd cheers them on.

5. Britain Responds The Intolerable Acts Closed the port of Boston Increased the power of British Governor Abolished the Upper house in Massachusetts and cut the power of town meetings. Strengthened the Quartering Act of 1765 Passed the Quebec Act Setup a British Government for Ohio River Valley and claimed land as part of Canada. This took away the western lands and blocked colonists from moving west.

6. Colonial Response to Intolerable Acts The colonists react by helping the people of Boston. Committees of Correspondence organized a meeting (First Continental Congress). Results of Continental Congress (1774) Demanded the repeal of the Intolerable Acts Give freedom to colonies to govern and tax as they see fit Called the Militias to stand up to British Troops New boycott of British Goods Decided to meet again in 1775 if demands were not met.

7. The Shot Heard Round the World British had no intentions of meeting demands and decided to use force to restore authority. Colonists begin to arm and form new Minuteman militias. British General Gage learns of weapons storage in Concord and sends 700 soldiers to seize the weapons and capture colonial leaders. Paul Revere and William Dawes ride through the night to warn the Minutemen of coming British.

8. The Shot Heard Round the World Five miles from Concord in Lexington Minute Men were waiting for British. The commander orders the Minute Men to go home and they refused. A shot is fired and the British open fire killing 8 colonists. A large battle took place in Concord. 400 Minute men killed 3 British Britain retreated to Boston and 4,000 Colonists fired at them from behind cover, killing or wounding almost 300 British soldiers.