The Boston Tea Party

After the multiple violent protests and the product boycotts colonists finally succeeded in getting the crown to remove all taxes in 1770. All taxes but one: tea. This actually acted in favor of the prices of the tea. English tea had never been cheaper. However boycotts continued, colonists buying only German tea which was more expensive. Eventually, colonists realized they needed a public protest that showed they wouldn't give up on their ideals and principles, a public example.

In 1773 a cargo ship full of Brittish tea arrived Boston. The night before the arrival, a group of colonists led by Samuel Adams, called the Sons of Liberty, had a meeting discussing on the execution of the protest. December 16th, the ship arrived. The group of men who were dressed as Indians demanded access to the ship. They used their tomahawks to open trunks containing the tea. They then threw the tea off board into the Boston Harbor, 342 trunks. The disguises aside from being symbolic also worked to hide the identity of the colonists so the governor could not apprehend any of the participants.

King George and the Parliament were enraged, this act of disobedience couldn't be accepted. They would then impose a set of rules called the intolerable acts.