{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\uc1{\fonttbl{\f0\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fcharset2 Wingdings;}}{\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue255 ;}{\stylesheet{\s0\nowidctlpar\nooverflow \sl240\slmult1\f0\fs20\kerning28 Normal;}}\paperw12240\paperh15840\margt1440\margl1800 \margr1800\margb1440\headery720\footery864\deftab720\pgnstart1\viewkind1\viewscale100 \fet0{\*\docvar{ColorSet}{-1}}{\*\docvar{ColorPos}{-1}}{\*\docvar{StyleSet}{-1}} {\*\docvar{StylePos}{-1}}\pard\plain\pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl480\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28 {\header\pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\qr\sl240\slmult1\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640{\fs20 Haley Judd\par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\qr\sl240\slmult1\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640{\fs20 October 12{\super th}, 2010\par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\qr\sl240\slmult1\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640{\fs20 3{\super rd} Period\par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\qr\sl240\slmult1\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640{\fs20 Mr. Pittman }\fs20\par}{\footer\pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl240\slmult1\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640 \fs20\par}\tab The custom of drinking tea was a long standing English tradition. This custom was carried over to the New World as England began its colonization of America. Most gatherings of colonial socialites were defined by the abundance and quality of the tea they provided. By boycotting such a substance the women who took part in what is now known as the Edenton Tea Party demonstrated the strong disapproval of the colonists towards the Tea Act of 1773. This act was one of the earliest organized women\u8217\'92s political movements in the United States \u8217\'92 history.\par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl480\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28\tab The Tea Act of 1773 gave the East Indian Tea Company the only control in trading tea. This meant that the local merchants in America could not make the most out of their main good. The tea they sold provided a stable income for not only themselves but for their families. Some of these merchants may have had on average as many as ten children because in this time period, the expansion of one\u8217\'92s family was very important. The tea they sold was to be shipped directly to the colonies and sold at a bargain price. Even though the act brought no new taxes to the colonists , it still hurt them. The Tea Act of 1773 angered many colonists, including the women of the Edenton Tea Party. \par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl480\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28\tab The Edenton Tea Party occurred on October 25{\super th}, 1774. Mrs. Penelope Barker organized a group of women to voice their opinions. The women involved met at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth King. The fifty-one rebels in attendance signed an agreement stating that they were \u8220\'93determined to give memorable proof of their patriotism \u8221\'94. The women decided that they could not be indifferent towards whatever affected the peace and happiness of the country. These ladies of the Edenton Tea Party resolved to boycott all tea and cloth received from the British after September 10{\super th}, 1774. \par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl480\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28\tab The details of the Edenton Tea Party quickly found their way to the European continent. The population in Great Britain was absolutely shocked. During these times, rebellion based on political viewpoints were common. When people had different views on how a government should be run and how operations should be undertaken, they tended to rebel against movements they did not agree with. Such rebellion had never before been completely and wholeheartedly organized and carried out by women. The western world did not know how to handle this situation. Most people, like Arthur Iredell , did not take the Tea Party seriously, due to the fact that it was led by women . Despite the fact that the Edenton Tea Party was laughed upon in England, it was met with praise in the colonies. \par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl480\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28\tab The Edenton Tea Party was a fantastic, shining example of how when people are angered by governmental decisions, they take rebellious actions. The women of the Edenton Tea Party were not taken very seriously by society then. Today, we can finally see the importance these women had on history. The women not only accomplished their goal, they also set precedence for other political movements including the Civil Rights Movement and the Women\u8217\'92s Rights Movement. Even though they were not fully appreciated by the men and other people who disliked them, these women knew that they had accomplished something monumental. The Edenton Tea Party may not have had a very big impact on the colonies\u8217\'92 revolution, but today it is a symbol for women to fight stronger for their beliefs. These women showed that just like men, they themselves could make an impact on the American Revolution.\par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl480\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28\par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\qc\sl480\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28 Bibliography \par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\qc\sl480\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28\par} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl480\slmult1\fi-360\li360{\pntext\f1\'9f\tab}{\*\pn \pnlvlblt\pnql\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnf1{\pntxtb\'9f}}{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28 Encyclopedia of North Carolina Third Edition Volume 1 Copyright 1999 by Somerset Publishers Inc.\par} \nooverflow{\pntext\f1\'9f\tab}{\*\pn\pnlvlblt\pnql\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnf1{\pntxtb \'9f}}{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28 States and the Nation Copyright 1977 W.W. Norton and Company, Inc.\par} \nooverflow{\pntext\f1\'9f\tab}{\*\pn\pnlvlblt\pnql\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnf1{\pntxtb \'9f}}{\ul\f0\cf1\lang1033\fs24\kerning28{{\field{\*\fldinst{ HYPERLINK "http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/50/entry" }}{\fldrslt{\nooverflow{\pntext\f1\'9f\tab}{\*\pn\pnlvlblt\pnql\pnstart1\pnindent360 \pnf1{\pntxtb\'9f}}http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/50/entry}}}} {\ulnone\cf0 . \par}} \nooverflow{\pntext\f1\'9f\tab}{\*\pn\pnlvlblt\pnql\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnf1{\pntxtb \'9f}}{\ul\f0\cf1\lang1033\fs24\kerning28{{\field{\*\fldinst{ HYPERLINK "http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/teaact.htm" }}{\fldrslt{\nooverflow{\pntext\f1\'9f\tab}{\*\pn\pnlvlblt\pnql\pnstart1\pnindent360 \pnf1{\pntxtb\'9f}}http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/teaact.htm}}}}{\ulnone \cf0 . \par}} \pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl480\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs24\kerning28\tab}}