The modern Tea Party emerged in 2009 as a response to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. These two bills represented the government's response to the economic hardships facing Americans in 2009. But Tea Party members felt that the bills were wasteful and added too much to the national debt. According to one supporter, "this tea party movement is a message to Washington that we're unhappy and that we want things done differently." Tea Party opponents argue that its members are overly conservative and ill informed. When asked about the Tea Party, Senior White House Advisor David Axelrod said, "The thing that bewilders me is this President just cut taxes for ninety five percent of the American people. So I think the [Tea Party] should be directed elsewhere, because he certainly understands the burden that people face."

On what issue do you think the Boston Tea Party members and the modern Tea Party would agree?

that they are being taxed unfairly

that they cannot afford an education

that farmers are being unduly penalized

that the government should have more power