Final answer:
After the partial repeal of the Townshend Acts, the duty on tea remained as a symbol of British authority over the American colonies, setting the stage for the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolutionary War.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tax from the Townshend Acts that still remained after their partial repeal was the duty on tea. In an attempt to assert control and raise revenue, British parliament imposed these acts on the American colonies. Parliament targeted glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea with duties under the Townshend Acts but facing strong colonial opposition, these were largely repealed except for the tax on tea.
This small, retained tax was a symbol of the British government's asserted authority over the colonies and would famously culminate in events such as the Boston Tea Party, which signalled a significant escalation towards the American Revolutionary War.