Hot Tea

Hot Tea. Greenwich Tea Burning Monument. In the winter of 1774, the American colonies were struggling to define their future relationship with Great Britain. The British tax on tea had sparked the 1773 Boston Tea Party. The harsh response, to close the port of Boston, lead to the First Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia. Congress’s non-importation, non-exportation agreement asked colonists not to buy or sell goods from the mother country as a way of putting economic pressure on England. Not far from this spot, in the dark of night on December 22, 1774, some residents of Cumberland County demonstrated their agreement with this recommendation by burning a cargo of British tea. , New Jersey and Independence. , When fighting broke out in April 1775, New Jersey was ready. Despite opposition, infantry was raised to support the fledgling army. During the winter, a voice for the American cause was heard in the “Plain Dealer” posted at Potter’s Tavern in Bridgeton., As in other American colonies, opinion was split over how to respond to the problems with Great Britain. Many believed good relations could be restored. Others felt that independence was the only solution., In July, 1776, New Jersey joined the other colonies with her vote for Independence.