17. why was the tea act created? how did the colonists react to it

The tea act didn't place an actual tax on tea. It was created to give a tax break to the east India Company, saving it from bankruptcy, and substantially lowering the tax it paid to the British Government. The colonists had a big problem with it and protested, causing the Coercive acts, aka the Intolerable acts. This closed Boston merchant shipping, established formal British military rule in Massachusetts, made British and required colonists to quarter British troops.

The tea act was created so the colonists could only buy tea from one place. the colonists were furious at the British for the stamp act, the quartering act, etc. so the British were not getting much money and that led to the Boston Tea Party.