- Protests and boycotts: The colonists were upset that the Tea Act gave unfair privileges to the British East India Company and increased the tax on tea. They accused Parliament of taxing them without their consent and violating the principle of "no taxation without representation". In response, many colonies implemented boycotts of British tea.
- Boston Tea Party: In December 1773, a group of colonists disguised as Native Americans boarded British ships in Boston Harbor and threw 342 chests of tea into the water. This event, known as the Boston Tea Party, was a symbol of the colonists' defiance against the British authorities and their economic policies.
- Coercive Acts: The British government responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, in 1774. These acts were intended to punish the Massachusetts colony and prevent further protests. The Coercive Acts further increased tensions between the colonists and the British government.
- Colonial Unity: The reaction to the Tea Act helped galvanize colonial unity. The colonies began to coordinate their efforts to resist British policies, and they formed committees and organizations to discuss and plan their responses. This led to the development of a stronger sense of American identity and a growing movement for independence.
- Mobilization for Independence: The resistance against the Tea Act was an important step towards the American Revolution. The protests and boycotts showed the British government the depth of colonial resentment and the willingness of the colonists to take direct action to protect their rights. The crisis created by the Tea Act contributed to the growing support for independence among the American colonists.