MANCHESTER – Southside Middle School 7th Grader Alice Lonergan won a statewide essay contest, and all she had to do was imagine herself in the middle of a little-known conflict from 250 years ago.
Each year, the Daughters of the American Revolution sponsor an essay contest to encourage young people to think creatively about our nation’s history and learn about history in a new light. The topic of this year’s essay was a pair of lesser-known tea-related protests in the lead-up to the Revolutionary War: the women-led Tea Parties of Edenton and Wilmington, North Carolina. For the writing prompt, students were asked to imagine themselves as one of the women leading the protests.
“When I wrote the essay, I was only given a day, which seemed very daunting, but with the help of Ms. (Julia) Gordon, I managed to write all 600 words,” said Lonergan. “My essay was about the Wilmington Tea Party in North Carolina. There is little information about it online, so this task felt like a treasure hunt at times.”
For winning the essay contest, Lonergan received a medal and certificate, and has been recognized by the local and state chapters of the DAR. On Monday, she received another certificate during the Board of School Committee meeting at City Hall.
“I’m very glad I was able to have this experience,” Lonergan said.
You can find the full writing prompt for the essay contest as well as Alice Lonergan’s essay below.
Essay writing prompt
In the 1770’s there was a movement of protest from the Colonists against the British due to taxes and laws. Along the eastern coast a growing number of patriots held “tea” parties. The Boston Tea Party was on December 16, 1773, and the Charlestown, SC Tea Party and the Chester Town Tea Party followed in 1774. In October 1774, 51 women in Edenton, North Carolina, decided to refuse to buy tea from the British because of their high taxes and laws. In 1775, women in Wilmington, North Carolina, burned their tea for the same reasons. Imagine you are one of these women boldly participating in one of these Tea Parties in North Carolina. Give details of either the Edenton Tea Party or Wilmington Tea Party, describe the tea party, and why you would choose to join them. Then explain if you think it was a good decision. Open to Grades 5-8 Length 300-1,000 words (depending on grade level).
The Wilmington Tea Party
Alice Lonergan
Wilmington, North Carolina has just gotten news of the revolt in Boston over the British tea tax, the assembly has been plotting a revolt of their own. The tea tax has gotten out of hand, it’s now 24 shillings for a pound of tea. This is all because the British need money from us due to their war with France, which is awfully absurd.
Many women around town have been discussing the unfairness of the Townshend Acts, how they’ve gotten rid of the tax on lead, glass, paint, and paper, but they have yet to remove the tax on tea. It’s as if they are trying to keep some hold on us, which is quite power-hungry of the Parliament and King George the III. People in town have decided to separate us by “Whigs” and “Tories.” From what I've heard, I would fall into the Whigs category. I certainly want a revolution, and I certainly don’t want British control. I think what the assembly is planning will be a wonderful standoff against the redcoats to prove we don’t need their control or power. I do hope they make it a bit different than the Boston tea party, as the British may already have a plan in place for a similar movement.
The women in the town have decided on their plan to protest the horrid tea tax. Tonight, on April 5th, 1774, we will burn all the tea the British send in publicly. We’ve attempted boycotting the tea, but many have just decided to buy tea in private instead. This is our final hope to disestablish the British tea tax. I’ve heard of the Boston Massacre, I do hope this protest does not end up that way. The militia has done shockingly little with the tensions with the redcoats at an all time high, but I doubt any of them want to go against the well-trained lobsterbacks that held down Boston so sternly.
The scent of burnt tea is filling the air, the mix of cheers and boos from the crowd surrounding us is thrilling. The mix of Whigs and Tories both gathered around to watch this act of rebellion was a shocking sight for us. I’m sure the absurd sight of fifty-one women gathered around burning tea has confused many, but it’s all for our colony's future. This protest and the many others to come should give us the freedom we deserve.
We’ve completed the protest, the smell of ashes and tea still lingers in the air. It went quite successfully. We're expecting the tax to be removed, since importing tea from India and adding the tax to make our tea more expensive, hiding it under the guise of being cheap, is tyrannical and not what our colonies want or deserve. It’s taxation without representation and is completely immoral.
The other 50 women and I have written and signed a petition, it has just been sent to the British newspapers the Morning Chronicle and the London Adviser. We are awaiting a letter from the two or to see our protests cause change and be reported on. Though, most of the women are expecting to be denied a section in the newspaper due to our gender and our revolutionary acts against the Parliament.
Our worst nightmare has happened, The British have responded in a childish way, mocking us for standing up against politics. This protest was supposed to show we were powerful and did not need their taxing, yet they have mocked us and attempted to tarnish our name back in England. The other women and I have learned that some eyewitnesses may have exaggerated the level of intensity the protest was. In it’s entirety, this protest was hopefully an eye-opener for many citizens of Wilmington, and I do hope it helps show other colonies they have the opportunity to revolt against the Parliament and King George III.