The Boston Tea Party was a pivotal event in American history that exemplified colonial resistance against British taxation without representation. Occurring on December 16, 1773, American colonists, frustrated by British control and the Tea Act, disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and boarded three British ships in Boston Harbor. They proceeded to dump 342 chests of tea into the water as a direct protest, which escalated tensions and led to significant political consequences, ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the American Revolution.