Edenton Tea Party
From ENC Phillips Group Wiki
The Edenton Tea Party was a political protest in Edenton, North Carolina, in response to the Tea Act, which was passed by the British Parliament in 1773. Inspired by the Boston Tea Party and the calls for tea boycotts and the resolutions of the first North Carolina Provincial Congress, 51 women, led by Penelope Barker, met on October 25, 1774, and signed a statement of protest vowing to give up tea and boycott other British products "until such time that all acts which tend to enslave our Native country shall be repealed."[1]
Organized by women
The Edenton Tea Party was a landmark, not because of the stances takenboycotts were common across the Thirteen Coloniesbut because it was organized by women. At the time, women were very much absent in politics and the Tea Party was one of the first instances of political action by women.[2] Despite their usual absence at political gatherings, women played a significant role in the running of the household and were therefore crucial to boycott efforts instigated by men. Barker believed that action by women would be noteworthy in England and sent a copy of the declaration to the British press. She said at the time Maybe it has only been men who have protested the king up to now. That only means we women have taken too long to let our voices be heard. We are signing our names to a document, not hiding ourselves behind costumes like the men in Boston did at their tea party. The British will know who we are. [3] While the reaction in England was mostly derogatory and dismissive, mainly because the signatories were women, in the colonies it inspired many other women to take up the boycotts and their actions were praised by many patriots.[2]
Text
Unlike many famous documents from the American Revolution, the petition signed at the Edenton Tea Party survives only through British accounts. The text of the petition, and the list of signers, was printed in the Morning Chronicle and London Advertiser on January 16, 1775.[4]
The full text of the petition reads: Template:Quote
References
- ↑ Edenton History FAQ's http://www.edenton.com/history/miscfact.htm
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Edenton Tea Party; North Carolina History http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/50/entry
- ↑ Penelope Barker Bio; National Women's History Museum http://www.nwhm.org/Education/biography_pbarker.html
- ↑ Edenton Tea Party; Learn NC http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-revolution/4234