What event sparked the mass colonial protest against British taxation in 1773?

• A. The signing of the Declaration of Independence
• B. The Boston Tea Party
• C. The Battle of Lexington and Concord
• D. The formation of the Continental Army

Answer: (B)

The protest hinges on colonial anger over taxes on tea and Parliament’s attempt to control colonial commerce. The Boston Tea Party was a dramatic, organized act of resistance in 1773, when colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor to oppose the Tea Act and the idea of being taxed without having a say in colonial government. It wasn’t just about a price of tea; it was a public rejection of Britain’s tax policies and the monopoly given to the East India Company. The event galvanized colonial opposition and helped push Britain to respond with punitive measures, deepening the path toward independence.

The other events happened later and were part of the move toward full independence rather than the initial protest over taxation: declarations and battles that followed in the mid-1770s, and the formation of an army to fight for independence.