An engraving of American colonists dressed as Native Americans throwing 342 trunks of the cargo that was on the British tea ships into Boston Harbor on December 16, 1773.

The Boston Tea Party was a protest by American colonists (These people were known as patriots) against King George III's rule in America. It happened on December 16, 1773.

The Boston Tea Party was an act of protest against the British for the Tea Act, one of several new attempts to tax colonists. The Americans had no one to speak for them in the British government. They were frustrated that they were being taxed by the government but had no part in how the government was run. They did not think it was right to pay taxes when they did not have a representative in the government ("No taxation without representation!"). Also, merchants selling their goods would lose their profit because of the taxes. The Americans began purchasing smuggled goods, which were much cheaper.