The main outcome of the Boston Tea Party was the escalation of tensions between the American colonists and the British government, leading to the American Revolutionary War. The destruction of tea in protest against taxation without representation resulted in punitive measures from Britain, such as the Intolerable Acts, which further united the colonies against British rule. The event symbolized colonial resistance and laid the groundwork for the emergence of a distinct American identity, ultimately contributing to the rallying cry for independence among the thirteen colonies.