It was the tea party to end all tea parties. Some 247 years ago colonists, traitors, patriots, rebels, Americans (what you call them depended on your point of view and your loyalties) gathered at the Old South Church in Boston.
Over the past few years those and others were upset at the control England was holding over them. It affected their trading among other things. The government wanted them only to trade where they said. Than there was the problem of taxation, which was designed to pay for their own protection and less than they would have paid if they had stayed in England. The cry, "no taxation without representation" of which they had none in London's Parliament was a rallying cry.
A ship, the Beaver,* had arrived in Boston Harbor ladened with tea. The Bostonians loved their tea, but this new arrival had a tax on it. No matter that even with the tax, it was less expensive than black market tea, it was the principle.
Attempts to repeal the tax went unheeded even though the East India Company, owner of the tea wanted the tax eliminated.
The meeting, allegedly led by Sam Adams, met at the church to discuss it. Today the church is also a museum. Embedded in its walls are recordings of the arguments made so long ago.
The "tea party" was just another step that brought the colonies closer to revolution.
*https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/history-brig-beaver The beaver was 85 feet long. It's size was limited by it being based in Nantucket Harbor. Besides tea it was used to carry whale oil. Today a plank by plank model serves as a museum.
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