Tea Act of 1773 is adopted in London.

Parliament approves a law that authorizes the British East India Company, to sell tea directly to the Colonies and imposes a small tax of three pence per pound. Despite the added tax, the tea is still cheaper than the Dutch tea being smuggled into the Colonies at the time. But the law proves unpopular because it infringes on the profits of local merchant/smugglers and because only Loyalists are chosen as consignees that are allowed to sell the tea. The law sparks protests initially in New York and Philadelphia. John Adams later admits that Boston would probably have accepted the tea tax if it were not for the protests elsewhere. The first shipments of the East India Company Tea to Boston arrives later in the year.*