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Tea Act of 1773 Worksheets Tea Act of 1773 Facts

Tea Act of 1773 Worksheets Tea Act of 1773 Facts

Tea Act of 1773 Worksheets Act of 1773 Facts

The of 1773 was imposed on the American colonies by the British government who was heavily in debt in the decade leading up to the American Revolutionary War. The act was intended to bail out the struggling , which was very important for the British economy, and the Tea Act would raise revenue from the 13 colonies.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ❖ After the Seven Years’ War (1756 to 1763), Britain greatly expanded its empire. However, it also caused massive national debt due to the costs of war. To rebuild the economy and achieve stability, the British government saw the American colonies as a source of revenue. ❖ In 1765, the Stamp Act was passed by the British Parliament and imposed on the American colonies. It levied a tax on printed materials produced and used inside the 13 colonies. ❖ In response, the colonists rejected the implementation of the new tax and began to fight for no to “taxation without representation”, arguing its unconstitutionality. When the British Parliament denied their request, the colonists resorted to mob violence and boycotted the stamp tax. The following year, Parliament repealed the act. KIDSKONNECT.COM Tea Act of 1773 Facts

❖ After repealing the Stamp Act, Parliament then passed the Townshend Act in 1767, which placed a tax of goods imported to the Americas, including paper, tea, glass, and paint. Like the Stamp Act, the colonists showed displeasure over the new act and responded by boycotting imported goods. ❖ By 1770, Parliament repealed duties on a number of goods under the Townshend Act, except the tax on tea. Many colonists resorted to drinking cheaper Dutch tea, which was illegally imported. ❖ As a result, the revenue of the East India Company fell, which also troubled the British Parliament. ❖ North American merchants were importing tea from the Dutch and making a much bigger profit because it was cheaper, they paid no duties on it and were, therefore, able to keep the markup they placed on it. These transactions violated the , however, and were treated by the British as smuggling. ❖ Smugglers imported about 900,000 pounds (410,000 kg) of cheap foreign tea every year. Patriots like the encouraged people to buy the smuggled tea because, although the quality wasn’t as high as the British tea, it was seen as a political protest against the Townshend taxes.

PROVISIONS OF THE TEA ACT

❖ Facing trouble in the American colonies, in 1773, the British Parliament passed the Tea Act. It allowed the East India Company to directly ship tea to the colonies without passing England. This way, duties were reduced and resulted in the cheaper price of English tea in the colonies. ❖ was one of several people who suggested the Company be allowed to export their tea tax-free. The act would allow them to cut out the middlemen who were smuggling cheap tea by undercutting their prices. The colonists would pay for the cheaper Company tea and that tea would be subject to the Townshend tax, which would legitimize the British Parliament's ability to tax the colonies.

KIDSKONNECT.COM Tea Act of 1773 Facts

The Tea Act received on , 1773. The act contained a number of provisions:

● The East India Company was granted a licence to export tea to North America. ● They were no longer required to sell their tea at the London Tea Market. ● The duties on tea shipped to North America and other foreign parts were not imposed nor refunded when the tea was exported. ● Anybody receiving tea from the East India Company was required to pay a deposit upon receipt.

First edition of the Tea Act of First edition of the Tea ❖ A proposal was made to waive the Townshend tax on tea but the British Prime Minister, Lord North, opposed the idea because the revenues were

1773. used to pay the salaries of crown officials in the colonies.

❖ The Act allowed seventeen million pounds-worth of unsold tea that the East India Company owned to be sold to the American colonies at a reduced rate.

THE COLONIES’ RESPONSE ❖ Many colonists rejected the Tea Act. People in the colonies were now only able to purchase tea from the Company, and they didn’t like this monopoly. It also validated the Townshend Tax on tea. ❖ Merchants who had been importing tea would lose their business. The illegal importers of Dutch tea would also be affected, and they joined forces to oppose the Act.

KIDSKONNECT.COM Tea Act of 1773 Facts

❖ Opposition to the Tea Act affected imported tea in many colonies. In New York and , for example, protests forced the tea delivered there to be sent back to Britain. In Charleston, the colonists left the tea on the docks to rot. ❖ Over £90,000 of tea was destroyed by colonists at the Tea Party on , 1773. The American colonists protested the British government by boarding 3 trade ships in Boston Harbor and throwing 342 chests of tea into the water. In today's money, that tea would have been worth roughly £7,85 million.

Illustration of the

CONSEQUENCES OF THE TEA ACT

❖ After the Boston Tea Party, the British enacted the . The events on December 16, 1773, appalled the British, and, in response, this act completely shut down the Boston Harbor until the dumped tea was paid for. ❖ It was one of the many causes of the American Revolutionary War. The Boston Port Act was the first of what the British called “Coercive Acts”. The colonists called them and these laws that were passed by Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party eventually led to war.

KIDSKONNECT.COM Tea Act of 1773 Facts

❖ The British eventually introduced the Taxation of Colonies Act 1778 to repeal the tea tax. This came too late, however, and was not enough to end the war because the dispute extended beyond taxation and the colonies had already declared independence.

KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Sequencing Events

The Tea Act was a policy passed in the middle of the tax conflict between the British Parliament and the American colonists. Read and arrange the statements into chronological order by numbering them from 1 to 10 (first to last).

Over £90,000 of tea was destroyed by colonists at the Boston Tea Party.

The Tea Act was imposed by the British government.

The British introduced the Taxation of Colonies Act to repeal the tea tax.

The East India Company was granted a licence to export tea to North America.

Patriots like the Sons of Liberty encouraged people to buy smuggled tea.

A proposal was made to also waive the Townshend tax on tea.

The East India Company could only sell tea in London.

The British enacted the Boston Port Act.

In New York and Philadelphia, protests forced the tea to be returned to Britain.

Many people suggested the Company be allowed to export their tea tax-free.

TEA ACT OF 1773 WORKSHEETS KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Tea Act Storyboard

Create a storyboard using the given situations.

Tea Act was intended to bail out the Patriots like the Sons of Liberty encouraged struggling East India Company, which people to buy the smuggled tea because, was very important for the British although the quality wasn’t as high as the economy, and the Tea Act would raise British tea, it was seen as a political protest revenues from the 13 colonies. against the Townshend taxes.

In New York and Philadelphia, protests The American colonists protested the forced the tea delivered there to be sent British government’s taxes by boarding 3 back to Britain. In Charleston, the trade ships in Boston Harbor and colonists left the tea on the docks to rot. throwing 342 chests of tea into the water.

TEA ACT OF 1773 WORKSHEETS KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Cause and Effect

Read and analyse the given situations to provide the effects they created in American history.

CAUSE EFFECT

The Tea Act of 1773 was imposed on the American colonies by the British government.

Benjamin Franklin was one of several people who suggested the Company be allowed to export their tea tax-free.

Over £90,000 of tea was destroyed by colonists at the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773.

TEA ACT OF 1773 WORKSHEETS KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______In Painting

The Tea Act of 1773 was only one of the many highly controversial laws imposed on the American colonies by the British Parliament. Analyse the painting using the guide questions below.

What was the To what extent do How are the British and purpose of the you agree with its Americans depicted? painting? message? ______

TEA ACT OF 1773 WORKSHEETS KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Point of View

If you lived in America during the period that the Tea Act was imposed, how would you react to its implementation if you were in the following positions?

American merchant

Sons of Liberty

British trader

Daughter of an American merchant

TEA ACT OF 1773 WORKSHEETS KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Past and Present

The Tea Act of 1773 received tremendous criticism from the people during its implementation. Do some research of a current law or act in your country that’s receiving criticism. Describe the law, act or bill, what it seeks to achieve, why it is being criticized, and how it could be better addressed.

Map your country here.

Details of the law

TEA ACT OF 1773 WORKSHEETS KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Poster Making

Create a poster representing your reaction towards the Tea Act of 1773. Then, explain the image you created.

TEA ACT OF 1773 WORKSHEETS KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Colonial Taxes

Among the main causes of the was the imposition of taxes by the British government on the American colonists without affording them representation. Write at least three phrases to describe each of the acts below.

CURRENCY ACT, 1751

❏ ______❏ ______❏ ______SUGAR ACT, 1764

❏ ______❏ ______❏ ______

STAMP ACT, 1765

❏ ______❏ ______❏ ______

TOWNSHEND ACT, 1767

❏ ______❏ ______❏ ______

TEA ACT OF 1773 WORKSHEETS KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Understanding Taxes

For centuries, right back to the Vikings, taxes have been extracted by leaders and governments. Let us see how much you know about this economic and political practice.

What does the What are taxes word ‘tax’ mean? used for?

What items are Who pays taxes? taxable?

TEA ACT OF 1773 WORKSHEETS KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______The Boston Tea Party

Research the Boston Tea Party. Then, write a news article featuring the details and significance of the Boston Tea Party. Make sure that you follow the format of writing a news article - cover Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.

DAILY NEWS

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