<span>The colonists used nonviolent resistance. They printed many pamphlets as well (including Paine's), and much letter writing was done to England to petition for the redress of grievances. For the second question, the answer is that independence was common sense because it was the only rational course of action against an oppressive monarchy.</span>
The answer to your beloved question that you have asked this wondrous people is the Overland trail.<span />
