Chinese label once tied to Boston Tea Party reveals 19th-century Pacific trade

When MIT historian Tristan Brown first examined a Chinese tea chest label displayed as a relic of the Boston Tea Party, he had no reason to doubt its story.

The top 3

  1. Three Main Tea Types Dumped: The majority of tea destroyed during the Boston Tea Party consisted of five principal varieties: Bohea, Congou, Souchong (all black teas), and Singlo, Hyson (both green teas), all originating from China.
  2. Three Ships Carrying the Tea: The tea involved in the Boston Tea Party was carried by three American-built merchant vessels: the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver.
  3. Estimated Value of Dumped Tea: The 340 chests of tea dumped into Boston Harbor were valued at £9,659 in 1773, which is estimated to be over $1.7 million in today's money.

Sources

Open the full topic