As mentioned in the article "The Cliff and the Dragon" from the section "A Warrior in a Garden," I maintain that "at the end of the day, in this chaotic game of existence, imperfection is our mark of authenticity." To this day, I stand by this statement. Even though I prepared extensively for this saga titled "Companies, Kingdoms & Wars," including creating a timeline in my notebook to explain events as clearly as possible, a whirlwind of ideas nearly led me to overlook one of the most renowned events related to tea, studied in classrooms around the world.
While the previous piece in “Companies, Kingdoms & Wars” focused on Robert Fortune's journeys in the mid-1800s, this installment takes us back to around 1773.
MORE LAND, MORE POWER
Human beings are a curious species. While we can collaborate for a common benefit, we are equally capable of taking lives in exchange for a piece of land, which is hardly a bargain. Britannica and the Editors of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (2024) assert that history has witnessed various unsavory events that showcase the extent of human greed, driven by economic, political, and even religious motives. In what we now know as the United States, greed was also present, as its Atlantic coast became home to several colonies.
During that era, there was a thirst to conquer what they called the New World, to amass wealth and elevate their nation. Various countries achieved this through "companies" that, beyond offering products or services, provided armies to further their states’ interests. Britannica and the Editors of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (2024) note that while the British East India Company was among the most significant of the crown's companies, the Virginia Company of London, established by King James I, enabled British colonization of the American coast. However, the American land attracted numerous colonizers, including the Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, with England primarily colonizing its Atlantic coast.
SUGAR, STAMPS, AND TEA
It is clear that while dominion is one thing, control is another. This is exemplified by the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Tea Act imposed by the British Parliament on its colonies.
Although the focus is on the Tea Act, we must understand the preceding societal tensions due to the Sugar and Stamp Acts. Britannica and the Editors of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d.) explain that the Sugar Act (1764) aimed to put a definitive stop to the smuggling of sugar and molasses from the French and Dutch by imposing a tax that “killed two birds with one stone,” as the revenue would help finance the Empire's obligations following the French and Indian War. However, this enabled the Empire to monopolize the sugar market.
On the other hand, George III (n.d.) describes the Stamp Act as a tax added to any legal document. Parliament enacted this tax without prior approval or consultation of the colonial legislatures, and payment had to be made in pounds sterling, which was scarce in the colonies, making transactions extremely cumbersome.
WHERE IS MY TEA?
Keen (2020) notes that the American colonies had the world's highest per capita tea consumption during this time, mainly due to their roots in New Amsterdam, founded by the Dutch East India Company. Yet, despite being British colonies, there is a saying that one always returns to where they were happy. In the case of the British colonies and their tea, despite British colonization, the tea they consumed came primarily from Dutch smuggling, to the extent that there was a distribution network reminiscent of those seen in shows like Narcos. Keen (2020) argues that John Hancock, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, amassed significant wealth through his tea smuggling network. However, this smuggling was not well received by the crown, not because it was morally wrong or detrimental to the market and society, but because it undermined their market and, consequently, their interests, leading to the implementation of the Tea Act.
According to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum (n.d.), the Tea Act was a desperate measure by the British Empire, as, after the French and Indian War, their beloved British East India Company was facing financial turmoil, with substantial debt and bankruptcy. What was the solution? Taxes? Not exactly! Unlike the Sugar and Stamp Acts, the Tea Act aimed to abolish the tax on tea since 1767. As we know, the crown, Parliament, and the East India Company were not altruistic and did nothing to improve the lives of others. The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum (n.d.) indicates that the Tea Act sought to establish the monopoly of the British East India Company while simultaneously dethroning the Dutch in the tea trade, as without a tax, the British could sell their tea below market rates.
TEA WITH A TASTE OF THE SEA
Of course, the Tea Act benefited only the state and its affiliates, not the buyers, sellers, or consumers. Not to mention that these individuals were being drained by exorbitant taxes that merely lined the government’s pockets. Mark and Woods (2023) assert that the patience of the American colonies wore thin due to the actions of the British Empire, prompting them to express their dissatisfaction by manipulating the rules to their advantage. While there were confrontations from the Sons of Liberty, the climax came when the first of four ships carrying tea from the East India Company arrived in Boston. The boat, Dartmouth, had a maximum of 20 days to unload and pay import duties; otherwise, the cargo could be confiscated and auctioned off. Less than 14 hours before the cargo could be seized, and having only 15 minutes to spare, war cries echoed in the distance as two more ships approached the Boston port. Approximately 130 men dressed as Native Americans boarded the three ships, opened the tea crates and tossed them into the sea. If we quantify the losses from that time, they amounted to 92,000 pounds of tea, equivalent to 10,000 pounds sterling at that time or 2 million dollars today, after which all the men vanished without a trace.
Though this may seem like a mere act of vandalism, it’s worth noting that a year after this event, in 1774, the First Continental Congress took place in Philadelphia, leading to the American Revolution.
Just as a simple leaf can become embroiled in controversy, it can also serve as a sign of encouragement. Ultimately, it all depends on how we react when we find ourselves between the cliff and the dragon.
Until next time!
Satoricha ~
References
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. (n.d.). The Tea Act | Boston Tea Party Facts | 1773. Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. Retrieved July 16, 2024, from https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/the-tea-act
Britannica & Los Editores de la Enciclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Sugar Act | Summary & Facts. Britannica. Retrieved July 16, 2024, from https://www.britannica.com/event/Sugar-Act
Britannica & Los Editores de la Enciclopedia Britannica. (2024, June 24). American colonies | Facts, Map, Revolution, History, & Definition. Britannica. Retrieved July 16, 2024, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/American-colonies
George III. (n.d.). The Stamp Act, 1765 | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |. Retrieved July 16, 2024, from https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/stamp-act-1765
Keen, P. (2020, Julio). The Boston Tea Party: The World's Most Impactful Tax Cut (M. Bohacik, Ed.). eighty, 4, 142.
Mark, H. W., & Woods, B. (2023, November 24). Boston Tea Party. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 16, 2024, from https://www.worldhistory.org/Boston_Tea_Party/