December 16th in History

[Bama]

I ran across this today. I thought that today was important because it is Belle's B-Day (woof! woof!), but apparantly others hollowed the day before she graced us with her presence....

December 16

The Boston Tea Party took place DECEMBER 16, 1773, just three years after the Boston Massacre, where the British fired into a crowd, killing five.

The British passed unbearable taxes:

1764 Sugar Act -taxing sugar, coffee, wine;

1765 Stamp Act -taxing newspapers, contracts, letters, playing cards and all printed materials;

1767 Townshend Acts -taxing glass, paints, paper; and

1773 Tea Act.

While American merchants paid taxes, British allowed the East India Tea Company to sell a half million pounds of tea in the Colonies with no taxes, giving them a monopoly by underselling American merchants.

Disguised as Mohawk Indians, a band of patriots called Sons of Liberty, led by Sam Adams, left the South Meeting House toward Griffin's Wharf, boarded the ships Dartmouth, Eleanor and Beaver, and threw 342 chests of tea into the harbor.

The men of Marlborough, Massachusetts, declared:

"Death is more eligible than slavery. A free-born people are not required by the religion of Jesus Christ to submit to tyranny, but may make use of such power as God has given them to recover and support their liberties...

[jmdavis]

I never knew the date for the Tea Party (or forgot it if I did).


Thanks Bama.

[slim]

There was actually a big write-up about this in the local newspaper today. It was one of those history lessons for the kiddies (which are for the adults too, they're just disguised as kiddy stories so we don't all feel so stupid!) and they told the story, even throwing in a little about the Sons Of Liberty.

It's still out there.... you just have to take a proactive look to find it. Sadly, like most other things in America that require a proactive look, they're lost. I'm thankful there are some of us doing something about it. Same as those "Indians" did some 235 years ago.

Keep up the good work, Appleseeders. Who knows, maybe someday 235 years from now adults won't have to read about their history in the form of children's stories because they'll actually know it and embrace it.

[Colorado Pete]

If I'm not mistaken, the Battle of the Bulge also began on this date, 1944...the largest battle fought by the US Army in WW2. Nearly 80,000 American casualties in five weeks of frozen hell. Now that's a sobering statistic.

[oldgrunt]

thank god granpa made it home ......6 gen of infantry and going strong.......and they called him lucky.....His realname........rip oldman we love you