On December 16, 1773, a group of colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded three ships in Boston Harbor and dumped 342 chests of tea into the water. This act of defiance, known as the Boston Tea Party, was in response to the British government's decision to grant the East India Company a monopoly on the sale of tea in the colonies.
The colonists were angry for several reasons. First, they felt that the British government was taxing them without their consent. The Tea Act of 1773 imposed a tax of three pence per pound on all tea imported into the colonies. This was a significant tax, especially for the poor. Second, the colonists were angry that the British government was giving the East India Company an unfair advantage over other merchants. The East India Company was a powerful corporation that had close ties to the British government. It was able to sell its tea at a lower price than other merchants, which put them out of business.
The Boston Tea Party was a major turning point in the American Revolution. It showed that the colonists were willing to take direct action to resist British oppression. It also helped to unite the colonies in their fight for independence.
The British government responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts. These acts were meant to punish the colonists and to prevent further acts of resistance. The Coercive Acts only served to further anger the colonists and to push them closer to revolution.
The Boston Tea Party was a significant event in American history. It was an act of defiance that showed the world that the colonists were not afraid to stand up to the British government. It also helped to unite the colonies in their fight for independence.