TABLE OF CONTENTS Great Britain Rules American Colonies Colonists Rail against Unfair Taxes 6 Tea Company on Verge of collapse 8 Colonists Infuriated by Low Tea Prices 10 Secret Society Leads Rebellion 12 Sons of Liberty Bully Tea Agents 14 Sons of Liberty Disguise Themselves 16 Sons of Liberty Calmly Dump Tea into Harbor 18 British soldiers watch in Silence 20 Tea Party Fails to Unite All the Colonies 22 Great Britain Fights Back with Punishing Laws 24 Tea Party Kick Starts American Revolution 26 12 Key Dates 28 Glossary 30 For More Information 31 Index 32 About the Author 32
GREAT BRITAIN RULES AMERICAN COLONIES It wasn't very long ago that Great all answered to the King of England Britain ruled most of North America George Ill The king was the head of In 1765 the 13 American colonies the British government He worked closely with Parliament Parliament made the laws and rules for all of the British Empire King George Ill and Parliament didn't make all of the decisions in the colonies Great Britain handled trade and other foreign affairs The colonists took care of local matters such as taxes and the local courts They also had their own militias These were small local armies Most Americans liked being part of the British Empire Great Britain King George III ruled the protected them from attacks by American Indians 13 colonies and foreign
NEW HAMPSHIRE The relationship also had financial MASSACHUSETTS benefits colonists exported The NEW YORK agricultural products such as corn RHODE ISLAND lumber and fish to Great Britain The CONNECTICUT money earned from was sent trade PENNSYLVANIA NEW JERSEY right back to England to purchase DELAWARE clothing weapons sugar and tea MARYLAND VIRGINIA NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA The 13 original colonies GEORGIA 2 5 million THE MISSING COLONY There were 13 American colonies But what about Approximate number of European settlers living in the 13 colonies in 1775 King George Ill was the leader of Great Britain Maine Maine was actually part of Massachusetts during this time In the early 1800s people living in Maine felt that they were ignored by the Massachusetts government The two territories agreed to separate Maine became its own state in 1820 Parliament made the laws for the British Empire Most Americans valued the protection and trade opportunities provided by Great
