What was the purpose of the Tea Act?

Question

What was the purpose of the Tea Act? ​

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Tea Act was passed by the British Parliament in 1773 to support the struggling East India Company. It allowed the company to sell tea directly to the colonists, bypassing colonial merchants who were often involved in smuggling. However, it also maintained the tax on tea, which ultimately led to the Boston Tea Party and further tensions between Britain and the colonies. Option A is partly correct in that the Tea Act did involve selling tea to colonists at inflated prices, but this was not the primary purpose of the act. Option B is partially correct in that cutting down on smuggling was a goal of the act, but it was not the main purpose. Option D is incorrect as it implies that both selling tea at inflated prices and cutting down on smuggling were the primary purposes of the Tea Act, which is not accurate. Option E is incorrect as it implies that supporting the East India Company was not a main purpose of the Tea Act.

What Was the Purpose of the Tea Act? ​

What Was the Purpose of the Tea Act?