The Boston Tea Party, one of the greatest acts of protest leading to the revolution, is closely connected with the events of the early 1770s and the East India Company that was greatly embarrassed by non-import agreements carried out by America, which resulted in more than 17 million pounds of tea unsold. The consequence of this action was bankruptcies, and the Company asked the Ministry to take off the duty on tea. Since the Royal prerogative forbade it, the ministry refused.

The East India Company had to send tea to America on its own account, thus providing the colonists with the opportunity to purchase it cheaper from England as compared to any other market. So another chance for reconciliation was lost. In accordance with the King's will, Parliament passed the act that favored the East India Company, while petitions from his loyal subjects in America were treated with scorn. The proposed arrangement was accepted by the East India Company, which received a license in August in 1773, and filled vessels with cargoes of tea for major American ports. All the sea ports have appointed agents to receive the tea.

The colonists met the commercial issue with deep significance and it was resolved that the tea, regardless of its price, won't be landed in American ports until the duty was taken off. Soon the unity of sentiment was produced by the committees of correspondence on the point throughout the colonies. When the ships with tea arrived, they weren't allowed to discharge their cargoes.

The first public meeting on issues related to the reception of tea ships was held in October 15, 1773 in New York City and was directly connected to the events of the Boston Tea Party. After intimations had reached the city, the meeting was held at the coffee house in Wall Street, where the patriotic American merchants were thanked for refusing to receive tea from the East India Company. The following day has witnessed even a larger public meeting, held in the State House Yard in Philadelphia for the same purpose. Eight resolutions were adopted at the meeting, the most important of these being one which declared that the resolution entered into by the Company is recognized as an attempt to enforce the ministerial plan, as well as a violent attack upon America's liberties.

It was also resolved that it was every American's duty to oppose the open attempt to force the tea and taxes upon them. Issued by a self-constituted committee was a manifest to the pilots on the Delaware, empowering them to do their duty if they should meet the tea-ship Polly, Captain Ayres. The committee has also threatened the consignees, and when the ship reached the port, several people proceeded to meet it, making clear that Polly should make her way out of the bay as soon as possible. When the tea ship Nancy arrived at Sandy Hook, her captain went to the city without the vessel, following the pilot's advice. While he was staying in the city, a merchant vessel arrived with 18 chests of tea hidden away in the cargo.

Suspecting the smuggling, the Sons of Liberty searched the ship and on finding the tea bags, cast them into the waters of the harbor. This act has entered the history as the Boston Tea Party. The British government's response was the closure of the Port of Boston and producing of other laws, known as the Intolerable Acts, known also as the Coercive Acts. However, the Boston Tea Party lesson wasn't to be forgotten by both British and colonial officials and was among those leading to the American Revolution.