Jeanette H. answered • 06/19/25
Experienced English,Writing, ACT, SAT, and History Online Tutor
Hi again Amy! This is another great question.
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest that occurred on the night of December 16, 1773 in Boston, Massachusetts. A group of approximately 30 to 130 men, who identified themselves as members of an activist group called the Sons of Liberty, dumped 342 chests of tea (very expensive at the time) in the harbor in protest of the Tea Act of 1773. This amounted to a little less than £10,000 (equivalent to £1,500,000 today) in property damages to the British East India Company.
The phrase "no taxation without representation" is commonly associated with the Boston Tea Party. It may or may not have been said on that night. However, it was definitely a common slogan used by colonists during that period in opposition to the taxes places on tea and other valuable commodities in the colonies in order to raise revenues.
The problem with this, in the minds of the colonists, was not necessarily that the taxes were considered outrageously high, but that the colonists did not have any representation in the British Parliament. Many colonists believed that the Tea Act was in direct violation of the British Constitution, which clearly states that British citizens cannot be taxed without the consent of their elected representations. Whom, the colonists argued, they did not have.
The Boston Tea Party was a historically significant event because it significantly contributed to the growing hostilities that would eventually lead to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. Some historians argue that the Boston Tea Party was the spark that started the war, but that is still a heavily debated topic.
I hope you found my answer helpful. Please reach out if you have any further questions, would like to discuss this topic further, or are interested in scheduling a free consultation!
