Then in 1773, the East India Company (which sold tea) was in financial difficulty. England allowed them to continue operating without having to pay any taxes or duties. Even though this move lowered the price of tea in the colonies, there was continued protest. The colonists felt that this move would give the East India Company an unfair monopoly, since they could now sell their tea cheaper than any of American merchants.
That December, three ships loaded with tea sailed into Boston harbour. During the night of the 16th, 150 men dressed as Mohawk Indians boarded the boats by force. They broke open 342 chests of tea, and dumped all the contents overboard into the harbour. The value of the tea is estimated to have been around 10,000 pounds. Similar incidents took place all along the coast, as ships of tea arrived.
The patriots refused to pay for the tea they destroyed. So, in retaliation, the King of England passed a series of 'coercive' acts that were intended to bring the colonists back into line. From this point on, there were more and more revolts, and retaliation throughout the colony. These grew in size and scope, until 1776 when the United States of America declared independence from Britain.
