Painting by Moran Edward Percy
It began when colonists wanted more rights and chose to act on that belief. The acts of civil disobedience have changed as the beliefs that drive these demonstrations change. As American society and culture continued to develop and evolve, more and more people began to find issues in their government. The idea of Civil disobedience was first explored by Henry David Thoreau and it eventually encompassed many different forms of protest and defiance. Civil disobedience will always be a part of America as people make a stand for their beliefs. Often, civil disobedience is met with some sort of government response, either backlash or change; sometimes, other groups responds to another’s civil disobedience with their own.
Just as the Boston Tea Party sparked the Revolutionary War, various movements throughout history have enlivened a desire for change. The injustice of slavery caused abolitionists rise, and years later, unpaid human labor was banned. The Women's Suffrage movement grew until the government altered its policy, and the Civil Rights movement destroyed Jim Crow Laws. Americans' methods of protesting have also evolved with the centuries. Colonists' throwing tea into the Boston Harbor was a public act that was harmful to their enemy, while Abolitionists created the crucially-silent underground railroad; women participated in passionate organized protests for voting rights, and the 2000s brought forums for Americans to express their opinions to everyone.
When the methods changed, so did the public's response. The Boston Tea Party's opposers were shocked by the act and wrote condemning reports about it. Moving into the 1800s, the bottom half of the country permitted slavery, so their "conversation" in the Abolition movement was drafting plans to secede. The response changed in the 1900s, where opposers instilled violence and protests of their own to show their disagreement. Now, it is simple to participate in the discussion of protests, as anyone can create a Twitter account. Hashtags make it easy to connect one's beliefs with millions of others. Although the way we execute civil disobedience has changed, it is still ever-present in America – we are a nation founded on uprisings.
Just as the Boston Tea Party sparked the Revolutionary War, various movements throughout history have enlivened a desire for change. The injustice of slavery caused abolitionists rise, and years later, unpaid human labor was banned. The Women's Suffrage movement grew until the government altered its policy, and the Civil Rights movement destroyed Jim Crow Laws. Americans' methods of protesting have also evolved with the centuries. Colonists' throwing tea into the Boston Harbor was a public act that was harmful to their enemy, while Abolitionists created the crucially-silent underground railroad; women participated in passionate organized protests for voting rights, and the 2000s brought forums for Americans to express their opinions to everyone.
When the methods changed, so did the public's response. The Boston Tea Party's opposers were shocked by the act and wrote condemning reports about it. Moving into the 1800s, the bottom half of the country permitted slavery, so their "conversation" in the Abolition movement was drafting plans to secede. The response changed in the 1900s, where opposers instilled violence and protests of their own to show their disagreement. Now, it is simple to participate in the discussion of protests, as anyone can create a Twitter account. Hashtags make it easy to connect one's beliefs with millions of others. Although the way we execute civil disobedience has changed, it is still ever-present in America – we are a nation founded on uprisings.
The video above explains causes and effects of the Boston Tea Party. It is often regarded as one of the first acts of civil disobedience in the colonies. It shows how civil disobedience is usually met with punishment; however, it eventually leads to change. (The Sons of Liberty)