The Boston Tea Party - Research Paper Example

The first part is an overview of British colonization of America to show the relationship between ruled colonies and the ruling Empire. The second part summarizes the relationship between business and government in the colonies that led to abuses. The third part explores the role that taxation of tea, an ordinary beverage, played in the conflicts between the Crown and its colonies. The fourth part briefly discusses the protests that led to the Tea Party and the reactions of the British colonizers.

The final part shows the link between the Boston Tea Party and American independence. The first English settlers sailed to America in the early 17th century, founding the colonies of Virginia in 1607. Despite harsh conditions of climate and violent resistance from natives, English settlers continued arriving in droves: settling in Plymouth in 1620, Massachusetts Bay and New Hampshire in 1629, Maryland in 1630, Rhode Island and Connecticut in 1636, New Haven in 1638, North and South Carolina in 1663, New York and New Jersey in 1664, Hudson Bay in 1670, and Pennsylvania in 1681.

Colonial settlements were established in Delaware in 1702, Georgia in 1732, and West Florida in 1763 (Innes 5-7). Each of these colonies was established either as a chartered company colony or a proprietary colony, which differentiates the way the colony is managed, its relations with the British government or Crown, and how revenues from trade and commerce in and out of the colony is shared with government. A chartered company is managed by business interests in behalf of the Crown, while civil servants appointed by the Crown manage a proprietary colony.

Most chartered company colonies were not as well managed as proprietary colonies, so colonies such as Virginia, Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay were eventually turned into proprietary colonies, with the Crown appointing settlers from England as governors (Innes 11-13). America was a conglomeration of rich and