The Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Native Americans primarily to ensure anonymity and to convey a powerful symbolic message during their act of protest against British taxation, most notably during the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
The Purpose Behind the Disguise
The decision to adopt Native American disguises during the Boston Tea Party was a calculated move by the colonists protesting "taxation without representation." This iconic protest involved dumping tea imported by the British East India Company into Boston Harbor. The disguise served several critical purposes:
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Anonymity and Protection:
- By concealing their identities, the participants, including members of the Sons of Liberty, sought to avoid identification and subsequent arrest or punishment by British authorities. Engaging in such a direct act of defiance was considered treasonous, and discovery would have led to severe penalties.
- The painted faces and non-European attire made it difficult for witnesses to accurately identify individuals, providing a crucial layer of security for the protesters.
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Symbolic Statement:
- The disguise carried significant symbolic weight. By appearing as Native Americans, the colonists aimed to present themselves not as British subjects revolting, but as "Americans" acting independently of British rule and identifying with the land.
- This choice visually rejected their identity as British colonists subject to British law, instead asserting an indigenous American identity free from imperial control. It was a declaration of separate identity and sovereignty, challenging the British claim over their land and their rights.
- Some historians also suggest it was a way to attribute the destructive act to a group outside of the traditional colonial structure, adding to the psychological impact on the British.
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Unity and Shared Identity:
- The uniform disguise fostered a sense of unity among the participants, reinforcing their collective purpose and shared commitment to the protest. It transformed them from individual citizens into a cohesive group representing a distinct American will.
The Boston Tea Party Context
In 1773, escalating tensions over the Tea Act, which granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies and imposed a tax, pushed colonists to their breaking point. The Boston Tea Party, where colonists famously protested by dressing up as Native Americans to dump tea into the harbor, was a direct and impactful response to this taxation without their consent. The Native American attire made the protest visually distinctive and memorable, solidifying its place in American history as a defiant act against perceived tyranny.
