A significant political consequence of the Boston Tea Party in 1773 was the escalation of tensions between the American colonies and Great Britain. The act of protest against the Tea Act, which granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales, led to a series of punitive measures known as the Intolerable Acts. These laws galvanized colonial opposition and unity against British rule. It also marked a pivotal moment in the buildup to the American Revolution, as colonists began to actively resist British authority. The Boston Tea Party is often viewed as a crucial catalyst for the push towards independence.