The name of the rebellion by American colonists against British taxes was the Boston Tea Party. Occurring on December 16, 1773, it was a political protest organized by the Sons of Liberty against the Tea Act imposed by the British government. The act granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies, leading to discontent among colonists who felt it infringed on their rights. In protest, colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded three British ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. This act of defiance escalated tensions and contributed to the burgeoning American Revolution.