Boston Tea Party Claim Among Highlights of Exhibition on America's Founding

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London: A British exhibition marking the 250th anniversary of American independence is showcasing rare documents from the birth of the United States, including a compensation claim linked to the famous Boston Tea Party.

Opening at Britain's National Archives on June 24, the exhibition features a letter from the East India Company seeking repayment for 340 chests of tea dumped into Boston Harbor by American colonists in 1773. The company demanded £9,659 in compensation, equivalent to about £1.2 million today.

The collection also includes a handwritten 1781 letter signed by George Washington accepting Britain's surrender after the decisive battle that helped secure American independence, as well as a rare first printing of the United States Declaration of Independence.

Curators said the exhibition explores both well-known and lesser-known stories from the American Revolution, including the experiences of Indigenous peoples, enslaved individuals, and Black loyalists.

The exhibition, titled ‘Revolution 250’, comes as the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of Independence Day in 2026

Pic Credit: AFP