Boston Tea Party Debate

Point 1

A child should be thankful to his/her parents. They are the ones that gave birth to them, raised them, and a lot more. That is why the colonists should be thankful to Great Britain, their mother country. After the French and Indian War, the British were in a huge debt, so to help, British parliament passed the Townshend Acts in 1767. This placed a tax on things like lead, paint, paper, glass, and tea.

Conclusion

A day after the Boston Tea Party, Sam Adams gave a quote. "There is dignity, a majesty, a sublimity, in this last of the patriots that I greatly admire. The people should never rise without doing something to be remembered—something notable and striking." According to this quote there is dignity, majesty, and sublimity in raiding a ship and dumping the stolen tea into a harbor. The Boston Tea Party is the last thing from dignity. The last thing from majesty. And CERTAINLY not on the same planet with sublimity.

Point 2 (cont.)

Also, because of the Boston Tea Party, British sent more troops. The colonists' actions led to sending more soldiers, so the colonists should be responsible for supplying the soldiers. Lastly, all unapproved town meetings were not allowed. Of course they weren't. The British government was not going to sit back and watch the Sons of Liberty plan another of their big protests and cost the British tons of money if they could do anything about it. If they can't plan it, they can't carry anything out. The only thing "intolerable" about the Intolerable Acts was the Patriots.

Conclusion (cont.)

Also, by "never rise without doing something to be remembered—something notable and striking," he's saying that they have to do ridiculous and outrageous things like dumping one million dollars' worth of tea into the ocean. Who is he to say that such things have to happen for the Patriots? Sure it's notable, alright, but striking means remarkable and glamorous, not illegal, and sort of stupid. The terrible Boston Tea Party was caused by the Patriots. The damage caused is unforgivable, and the events that followed were for the good of everyone, including the Patriots. The Patriots should have to suffer the consequences of their actions; something they should have known was coming for them.

Point 1 (cont.)

In 1773, the British's tea company, British East India Company, was failing financially. Trying to boost their economy, and to help with their debt, we passed the Tea Act, which allowed the colonists only to buy tea from the British east India Company, and actually LOWERED THE PRICES OF TEA. Once again, the colonists threw away their duty and rebelled against, not only their mother country, but LOWERED tea prices. LOWERED. After the British went through the trouble of passing a law that lowered the prices of tea, the Patriots acted sourly, and stabbed Great Britain in the back by dumping all of the tea.

Point 1 (cont.)

Instead of respecting the fast that Great Britain was in need of help, and the colonists had the duty to assist, the Patriots decide to rebel. After months of torturous rebellion, the British cleared the tax on everything but the one on tea. This is reasonable because all the British intended to do was to make sure that they still had a strong say in the way their own colony was ruled. Clearly, the British meant well, and the Patriots did not.

Point 2 (cont.)

It's no wonder that the British parliament passed the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts. The Coercive/ Intolerable Act are as followed. Since the Boston Tea Party took place in the Boston Harbor, evidently, it would be closed down. Why would they leave it open for even more of the colonists' protests? It's understandable that until the money (£10,000) was paid back, the harbor stays closed.

Point 3 (cont.)

It's the same for the Sons of Liberty. According to the group, the British are taking away rights of the colonists like having a say in the way they are governed. However, the Sons of Liberty stepped way out of line, and stole many of Loyalists' rights through torture. All of the things that they did were not right, let alone legal. Their acts include, but are not limited to, tarring and feathering, hanging, burning down property, stoning houses, ransacking homes, and burying tax collectors alive.

Point 2

Only unjustified people such as the Patriots would dump a whole bunch of the British's tea after the British lowered the prices for them. On December 16, 1773, Patriots, dressed as Native Americans, climbed aboard three British tea ships in the dead of night. By the end of their scandalous event, they managed to dump a total of 324 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. Those 324 chests of tea equaled to 45 TONS of tea. That would total up to £10,000 in the British currency back then. £10,000 in British money is equivalent to 1 million dollars today. Because of the Patriots, the British's innocent attempt to help their economy resulted in the loss of 1 million dollars.

Point 3 (cont.)

Sons of Liberty terrorized innocent tax collectors who were just doing their jobs. Isn't doing such things to someone because of their job taking away one's rights? The Sons of Liberty should be accused of crimes such as murdering, stealing damaging others' properties, and taking away innocent people's rights. Just like their leader, the Sons of Liberty are no good terrorists. Because of them, such thing as the ridiculous Boston Tea Party occurred.

Introduction (cont.)

The Patriots had absolutely no legitimate reason for dumping British-owned tea into the Boston Harbor. If anyone should be victimized here, it's us, Loyalists, not Patriots. We are being wrongly accused of taking away the colonists' rights, and have now suffered huge loss of money from the Boston Tea Party. Patriots are guilty of shameful and unreasonable rebellion.

Point 3

There is a big factor that is standing right in front of us that I am willing to acknowledge today. Sam Adams and his little group, the Sons of Liberty. Some Patriots might look up to him as a big leader and savior of the colonies. However, the truth is that all Sam Adams was is a big hypocrite. After being marked a failing business man, he had to depend entirely on his friends to survive daily. To try to get some money, he became none other than a tax collector. Sam Adams is a cheat who used to be a tax collector himself, and then changed into someone who believed that all tax collectors deserve to be punished. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the act of a liar and a cheat.

Introduction

To my fellow colonists... I, John Connolly, am the British governor of Pittsburgh, and through and through a Loyalist. Patriots are discontented minorities who have absolutely no reason to drag the colonies and the British into a messy war. The Boston Tea Party was caused by these ridiculous Patriots who deserve to be severely punished for their illegal and harmful actions.