From Protest to Rebellion A Dispute Over Tea early 1770s ? protests quieted down but colonists still unhappy most Townshend Acts repealed ? Tea one stayed many colonists drank unconsented taxed tea The Tea Act 1773 British Parliament passed Tea Act 2 help British East India Company Tea Act meant East India Company sold tea directly 2 colonies lowered prices but monopoly developed Tea Act hurt colonial merchants smuggling Dutch tea The Boston Tea Party Sons of Liberty organized in port cities 2 stop unloading EIC tea SoL threatened ship captains & merchants 2 buy it no tea unloaded New York, Philadelphia, etc. gov Thomas Hutchinson refused tea ships papers 2 return 2 England until they unloaded tea night Dec. 16th, 1773 ? men dressed as Native Americans boarded tea ship