April 12, 1770

Repeal of the Townshend Duties

Lord North's ministry succeeds in persuading Parliament to repeal all of the Townshend Duties, except for the three-pence duty on tea, leaving it with only the 1764 duty on molasses as symbols that Parliament could indeed tax the colonies. The repeal leads to the collapse of colonial resistance. By July 1771, all non-importation associations are abandoned; only a pledge to not purchase tea remains, although that, too, soon breaks down.