What event constituted the boston tea party? colonists, protesting the tea act, burned a british ship along with its cargo of tea. british ships carrying tea were forced to return to england without offloading their cargo at boston. colonists, dressed as mohawk indians, boarded a docked british ship carrying tea and dumped the tea into the sea. british soldiers opened fire on colonists protesting the townshend duties in boston, killing five and wounding eight. nextreset