Teapot.
Teapot, 1766-1775. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1927, 27.232a, b.
Document Text |
Summary |
| You Madam are so sincere a Lover of your Country, and so Hearty a mourner in all her misfortunes that it will greatly aggravate your anxiety to hear how much she is now oppressed and insulted. . . | Mercy, you love your country so much and you feel for her so deeply that you will be very upset when you hear about the latest troubles we are facing. |
| “The Tea that bainfull weed is arrived. Great and I hope Effectual opposition has been made to the landing of it.” To the publick papers I must refer you for perticuliars. You will there find that the proceedings of our Citizens have been United, Spirited and firm. The flame is kindled and like Lightning it catches from Soul to Soul. Great will be the devastation if not timely quenched or allayed by some more Lenient Measures. . .
5 December 1773. |
The tea, that annoying weed, has arrived. There have been large protests. I hope they work. You should read the newspapers to learn the details. You’ll see that the colonists have been united, passionate, and determined. The fire of protest is lit, and like lightning it spreads from person to person. There will be serious consequences if the government does not change course. |
| Such is the present Situation of affairs that I tremble when I think what may be the direfull concequences—and in this Town must the Scene of action lay. My Heart beats at every Whistle I hear, and I dare not openly express half my fears.—Eternal Reproach and Ignominy be the portion of all those who have been instrumental in bringing these fears upon me. There was a Report prevailed that tomorrow there will be an attempt to Land this weed of Slavery. I will then write further till then my worthy Friend adieu. | Things are so uneasy that I shake when I think about what terrible things might happen. And it will all happen here in Boston. My heart races every time I hear a whistle. I am afraid to talk about my fears. I hope that government leaders are criticized and shamed forever for creating this situation. There is a rumor that the ships will try to bring the tea, that weed of slavery, ashore tomorrow. I will write then to tell you what happens. Until then, my worthy friend, goodbye. |
Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, December 5, 1773.
Sarah Bradlee Fulton grave marker.
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7393516/sarah-fulton: accessed October 23, 2025), memorial page for Sarah Bradlee Fulton (24 Dec 1740–9 Nov 1835), Find a Grave Memorial ID 7393516, citing Salem Street Burying Ground, Medford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.
Background
In the 1760s the English government was desperate to find ways to pay off the debt from the French and Indian War. Because so much of the war was fought to protect the North American colonies from the French, Parliament decided that taxing those colonies was a reasonable solution. But when the Stamp Act, which levied the first ever direct tax on the colonies, was passed in 1765, the colonies erupted in protest. The response was so negative that Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766.
The Stamp Act was just the beginning of a power struggle between Parliament and the colonists over the question of taxes and representation. After several years of new taxes and protests, matters escalated yet again in 1773. Parliament passed the Tea Act, and colonists accused Parliament of favoring merchants from England. On December 16, 1773 protestors disguised as Mohawks dumped 342 crates of imported tea into Boston Harbor to signal their displeasure. News of the protest spread quickly. Today it is called the Boston Tea Party.
Parliament responded with a new collection of harsh laws intended to punish and control the Massachusetts colony. But the crackdown united the colonies, leading directly to the outbreak of the American Revolution.
About the Documents
This teapot was made in England and sold in the colonies sometime between 1766 and 1775. The slogans “No Stamp Act” and “America Liberty Restored” made the political position of the owner clear to any visitor who stayed for tea. Women were not only the main buyers for their homes and families, they were also responsible for making and serving tea. So, it is likely that this teapot was used by a woman to assert her political opinions without having to say a word.
The document is an excerpt from a letter from Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren. It demonstrates that women not only followed the news of the protests closely but also developed their own strong opinions about the actions taken by the government.
The image is of the grave marker for Sarah Bradlee Fulton. Sarah was a founding member of the Daughters of Liberty. She was nicknamed “Mother of the Boston Tea Party” for suggesting the protestors disguise themselves as Mohawks to avoid being recognized. Sarah and other Daughters of Liberty made the costumes and painted the faces of the protestors, as shown in the engraving of the Boston Tea Party.
Vocabulary
- boycott: Refusing to buy and/or use something as an act of protest.
- French and Indian War: A colonial war that was fought from 1754 to 1763 between the British and the French. Indigenous communities sided with the colonial power they expected would best protect their sovereignty. The Spanish were allies of the British. Part of the larger global conflict known as the Seven Years’ War. The British triumphed and greatly expanded their territory in North America.
- merchant: A person whose business is buying and selling goods.
- Parliament: The part of the British government that works with the king or queen to pass laws and govern the country.
- repeal: Cancel.
- Stamp Act: Law passed by Parliament in 1765. It imposed the first direct tax on the North American colonies.
- Tea Act: Law passed by Parliament in 1773. It gave a company based in England a monopoly on all tea sold to the colonies.
Discussion Questions
- What do these sources reveal about women’s involvement in the protests before the outbreak of the American Revolution?
- How could women express their political opinions in the 1700s?
- Why do you think all of these sources relate in some way to the tea trade?
- Why do you think Abigail Adams calls tea “the weed of slavery?”
Suggested Activities
- Include these resources in any discussion about the protests around the Stamp and Tea Acts.
- For an example of women taking a public stand in the lead-up to the American Revolution, see The Edenton Tea Party.
- To further understand how social expectations of women shaped their activism, see Spinning Wheels, Spinning Bees.
- To learn more about Mercy Otis Warren’s activism in the lead-up and aftermath of the American Revolution, see A Call to Arms and Federalist v. Anti-Federalist.
- To explore how Abigail Adams tried to influence events during the American Revolution, see Remember the Ladies.
Themes
ACTIVISM AND SOCIAL CHANGE; POWER AND POLITICS
The New York Historical Curriculum Library Connections
- For resources relating to the American Revolution in New York, see The Battle of Brooklyn.
