How did the Tea Act lead to the Declaration of Independence?

The Tea Act of 1773 granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies, which angered colonists who viewed it as an infringement on their rights and an example of taxation without representation. This act prompted widespread protests, including the Boston Tea Party, where colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor in defiance. The backlash against British control and the subsequent punitive measures, such as the Intolerable Acts, further united the colonies in resistance. Ultimately, these escalating tensions and a desire for self-governance contributed to the movement toward independence, culminating in the Declaration of Independence in 1776.