Why did America declare war on Britain because they taxed tea - after all the Seppos only drink coffee?

on drinking of tea -- american colonists @ time did drink fair amount of tea.

"declaring war" --
boston tea party not quite "declaration of war". in fact, took place in december of 1773, 16 months before battles of lexington , concord.

true in year following boston tea party colonies made various preparations possible war (part of caused british move against them).

why did so? british parliament called "the coercive acts" (the colonists called them "the intolerable acts"), began closing boston harbor , making various officials directly answerable crown never had been before.

in view of colonists these actions (as various taxes preceding them) violated rights englishmen under colonial charters , british constitution

official reponse , explanation of these grievances found in "declaration , resolves" of first continental congress (october 14, 1774). read at:
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates...

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know can bit heavy plow through, here's chronology --thanks "the history place"-- of these acts (march june 1774), various other official actions , colonial response preceding declaration mentioned above.

march 31, 1774 - boston port bill shuts down commercial shipping in boston harbor until massachusetts pays taxes owed on tea dumped in harbor , reimburses east india company loss of tea.

may 12, bostonians @ town meeting call boycott of british imports in response boston port bill.

may 13, general thomas gage, commander of british military forces in colonies, arrives in boston , replaces hutchinson royal governor, putting massachusetts under military rule. followed arrival of 4 regiments of british troops.

may 17-23, colonists in providence, new york , philadelphia begin calling intercolonial congress overcome coercive acts , discuss common course of action against british.

may 20
**massachusetts regulating act , government act virtually ends self-rule colonists there. instead, english crown , royal governor assume political power formerly exercised colonists.

**the administration of justice act protects royal officials in massachusetts being sued in colonial courts,

june 2 - quebec act establishing centralized government in canada controlled crown , english parliament. quebec act upsets american colonists extending southern boundary of canada territories claimed massachusetts, connecticut , virginia.

june 22 -new version of 1765 quartering act enacted english parliament requiring of american colonies provide housing british troops in occupied houses , taverns , in unoccupied buildings.

september - massachusetts governor gage seizes colony's arsenal of weapons @ charlestown.

september 5 october 26, first continental congress meets in philadelphia 56 delegates, representing every colony, except georgia.

september 17, congress declares opposition coercive acts, saying "not obeyed," , promotes formation of local militia units.
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates...

(some details http://www.ushistory.org/march/timeline....

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