The Tea Act of 1773 was the start of what seemed to be a never ending rebellion against the
British Parliament. The act was intended to convince citizens into purchasing taxed British tea
instead of smuggled Dutch tea that had been undercutting the sales of London's product.
Furthermore, authorities in London were forced to adapt. In essence, they lowered the cost of
their tea well below that of their competitors. It seemed as if Britain was attempting to legally
compete opposed to war or eliminating other companies or enforcing strict embargoes which
would most likely have led to them go out of business. This was an attempt to manipulate the
civilians into purchasing Britain's East India Company tea that was taxed instead of the
smuggled Dutch tea that had been weakening profits. The colonists' acknowledgement towards
the Tea Act of 1773 appalled London authorities. When news of the Tea Act came to light to
the colonies, many people spread propaganda about royal governors and judges collecting the
taxes to increase their own salaries along with other high-status officials. As a result, the
majority of colonists plotted against the act by enacting consumer boycotts and focusing on
official tea agents. However, the boycotts were ineffective due to the fact of the struggle to tell
the difference between smuggled and dutied tea.
In spite of the failed attempt to boycott East India Company tea, huge crowds throughout fifty
towns in the colonies erupted and caused widespread resistance and intimidation towards
British officials. These groups called themselves the Sons of Liberty and successfully harassed
many tea officials to resign, resulting in a lack of agents for governors. Thus, many members of
Parliament sent cargoes home or landed duty-free tea to distribute. In other words, the British
wanted every dollar from the colonists and the rich only wanted to get richer. Unhappy about
the situation, Governor Hutchinson sailed three ships loaded with tea headed for the harbors in
Boston. In a moment of high tensions, the tea agents unloaded everything except the tea and
Governor Hutchinson was everything but happy. In response, Hutchinson enforced a twentyday limit for the payment of duties on the tea, after the fact the items would be taken. In the
span of twenty-days, large crowds gathered and kept authorities on their feet. On December
sixteenth in mists of the protests, around one-hundred and fifty men disguised as Mohawk
Indians ransacked the cargo ships and duped approximately ninety-thousand pounds of tea into
the harbor. Furious at the situation, Parliament created the Coercive Acts (better known as the
intolerable Acts). Four laws to punish Massachusetts for the wreckage of their products. First,
the act closed Boston Harbor from all importation until June 1, 1774 until the cost of the tea
was replenished. Next, the second act allowed Britain to appoint their own council along with
other judges, sheriffs and officers in the courts of the American colonies. Then, the third act
tried royal officials accused of capital crimes. Afterwards, the fourth act allowed military
occupation within the homes of colonists. Finally, the fifth act legalized French civil law and
Catholicism in the French territories that were won by Britain in the Seven Years' War. As a
result, this spread fear amongst the colonies which then led up to colonial leaders convening in
Philadelphia, 1774. In any case, the English were not justified in enacting the Intolerable Acts
because the only individuals that were benefitting from the taxes were royal officials and
higher-status characters.