What really happened?
Photo courtesy of Ben Ward
While tea was introduced to England by 15th century, Americans only knew it when America was still a colonist under British control. British East India Company transported tea to America. And tea became very popular in America.
For a while, British East India Company was having some serious financial problem. England decided to increase the tea tax on Americans. The Tea Act was introduced.
Americans have enjoyed tea but were very angry of the unjustly high tax. They decided to rebel such unfair law.
On December 16, 1773,a large group of men called the Sons of Liberty planned to disrupt a tea shipment on Boston Harbor. The leader of this group of about 50 men was Samuel Adams.
The Sons of Liberty were dressed as Native Americans. They boarded the ship of British East India Company. They emptied all 340 chest of tea into the river.
Tea and the Revolution
Historians noted that The Boston Tea party ignited Americans Revolution that earned America its freedom from England in 1775. By 1784, America was able to build its own ships (often called the tea clipper) and transported black tea from Canton, China back to America. In 1845, the first clipper left New York for tea and return 7 months later.
Over the years, Americans tried to cultivate and produce its own tea. But the climate and soil conditions are not suitable for the tea plants. They are forced to import tea from other countries.
From then on, Americans’ love for tea is rekindled. America now is the 2nd largest tea importer. The consumption of tea in America is only after coffee.