Final answer:
The Boston Tea Party, a significant event leading up to the American Revolution, occurred on December 16, 1773, when colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded British ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the Boston Tea Party, colonists dressed as Indians dumped 18,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor. This historic event took place on December 16, 1773, when a group of men disguised as Mohawk Indians, as part of a protest against the Tea Act which gave the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales, boarded British ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor.
The act was a pivotal moment that contributed to the escalation of tensions between the American colonies and Great Britain, leading to the American Revolution. Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty were key players in this act of rebellion. The British government responded harshly to the Boston Tea Party, implementing the Intolerable Acts, which further inflamed the situation and pushed the colonies closer to war for independence.