The British taxed goods such as tea in order to pay for government in the colonies. Why would Americans protest the tea tax?

Americans did not want to be taxed by those they did not elect. "no taxation without representation".

Explanation:

abraham lincoln  (february 12, 1809  – april 15, 1865) was an american statesman, politician, and lawyer who served as the 16th  president of the united states  from 1861 until  his assassination  in april 1865. lincoln led the nation through the  american civil war, its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis.[2][3]  he preserved the  union,  abolished slavery, strengthened the  federal government, and modernized  the u.s. economy.