[Tea Act] An Act to Allow a Drawback of the Duties of Customs on the Exportation of Tea to Any of His Majesty’s Colonies or Plantations in America…
Artifact IDTL 2026.1.10
Object Type
Temporary Loan
Date
1773
Printer
Charles Eyre and William Strahan
(founded 1765)
Place MadeLondon, England, Great Britain
Medium
folio (disbound)
DimensionsOverall H 7 3/4 in x W 12 5/8 in x D 13 in (19.7 cm x 32.1 cm x 33 cm)
Physical DescriptionBritish parliamentary act showing layout features traditional legal formatting with the title page centered page number "( 895 )" at the top. The upper headline reads "ANNO DECIMO TERTIO / Georgii III. Regis." followed by a bold double horizontal rule.Below the rules, the section marker "C A P. XLIV." precedes the extensive act title typeset in a single justified column. The text block begins with a large decorative woodcut initial "W" encased in an intricate rectangular frame featuring stylized foliage and geometric patterns.
Enacted on May 10, 1773, this British parliamentary act granted a monopoly for the
British East India Company, as well as a tax that came with the tea. This direct assertion of parliamentary authority ignited widespread outrage across the colonies regarding taxation without representation. The resulting protests culminated in the Boston Tea Party in December 1773, a critical escalation that accelerated the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War.
Enacted on May 10, 1773, this British parliamentary act granted a monopoly for the
British East India Company, as well as a tax that came with the tea. This direct assertion of parliamentary authority ignited widespread outrage across the colonies regarding taxation without representation. The resulting protests culminated in the Boston Tea Party in December 1773, a critical escalation that accelerated the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War.
Historical NoteEight years after the Stamp Act, two precedents were set: Parliament was willing to assert its imperial authority, and the colonists were prepared to resist it. Boston’s response to the Townshend Acts had included two major riots and a non-importation agreement against British goods. However, unlike its total repeal of the Stamp Act, Parliament"s 1770 repeal of the Townshend Acts was only partial. The duty on tea remained, and Parliament leveraged it with another law in 1773. The Tea Act permitted the British East India Company to bypass London’s wholesale traders and deliver its tea directly to colonial ports. This reduced the cost of East India Company tea enough that, even with duties levied, it would be cheaper than alternatives, such as the smuggled Dutch tea that evaded customs.
Additional DetailsCredit Lineon loan courtesy of the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection
National Archives Catalog CollectionJohn F. Kennedy Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 1676934)
National Archives Catalog SeriesPolitical Memorabilia (National Archives Identifier 1677287)
Use Restriction StatusRestricted - FullyUse Restriction NoteThe use of this image and document information is fully restricted. Reproduction in any manner is not allowed.On view