Question

Which of the following is NOT a reason why the British Parliament closed Boston Harbor in 1774?

(A) To punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party
(B) To force the colonists to pay for the tea that was destroyed
(C) To show the colonists that they were still subject to British authority
(D) To encourage the colonists to trade with other countries

Answer 1

The incorrect reason for the British Parliament's closure of Boston Harbor in 1774 is to encourage the colonists to trade with other countries. The true motives were to punish for the Boston Tea Party, coerce payment for the destroyed tea, and assert British authority.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason that is NOT why the British Parliament closed Boston Harbor in 1774 is (D) To encourage the colonists to trade with other countries. The British closure of Boston Harbor in 1774, through the Coercive or Intolerable Acts, was indeed a punitive measure in response to the Boston Tea Party. It aimed to punish the colonists for the destruction of the tea (A), force the colonists to pay for the destroyed tea (B), and to demonstrate British authority over the colonies (C). The British intention was not to stimulate international trade for the colonists but rather to pressure Massachusetts into submission and adherence to British laws and economic regulations.