1. To protest the Tea Act of 1773, which imposed a tax on tea imported to the colonies: The Boston Tea Party was a direct response to the British government's decision to grant the British East India Company a monopoly on the sale of tea in the American colonies. This monopoly would have resulted in higher prices for tea, which was a staple beverage in colonial America.
2. To send a message to the British government that the colonists were not willing to tolerate taxation without representation: The colonists felt that they were being unfairly taxed by the British government, which did not allow them to have any representation in Parliament. The Boston Tea Party was a way for the colonists to show their frustration and anger at this lack of representation.
3. To disrupt the British economy and force the British government to negotiate with the colonists: The Boston Tea Party was a deliberate act of economic sabotage, as it resulted in the destruction of a large shipment of tea. The colonists hoped that this would cause financial losses for the British East India Company and the British government, and that this would force them to negotiate with the colonists over the issue of taxation.