The Boston Tea Party, which occurred on December 16, 1773, was sparked by colonial dissent against British taxation without representation, primarily the Tea Act. This Act granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies, which angered colonists who felt it violated their rights. In protest, a group of colonists, including members of the Sons of Liberty, disguised themselves as Native Americans and dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. This act of defiance escalated tensions between Britain and the colonies, leading to the implementation of punitive measures by the British government, known as the Intolerable Acts, and ultimately the American Revolution.