Tea Act of 1773 (may 10, 1773 – may 10, 1773)

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On May 10 1773, British Parliament passed this act because it reduce the massive amount of tea held by the financially troubled British East India Company in its London warehouses and to help the financially struggling company survive.

Quote 1: "The mistaken policy of the Stamp Act first disturbed this happy situation; but the flame thereby raised was soon extinguished by its repeal, and the old harmony restored, with all its concomitant advantage to our commerce. The subsequent act of another administration, which, not content with an established exclusion of foreign manufactures, began to make our own merchandise dearer to the consumers there, by heavy duties, revived it again; and combinations were entered into throughout the continent to stop trading with Britain till those duties should be repealed. All were accordingly repealed but one, the duty on tea. This was reserved (professedly so) as a standing claim and exercise of the right assumed by Parliament of laying such duties."

- Benjamin Franklin

Quote 2: "[There emerged a] kind of unformed nationalism...growing up with more and more men in more and more colonies speaking and writing of an American cause that they largely defined in terms of protecting American liberties against British tyranny."

- Richard C. Simmons

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