The colonists wanted to ed taxation without representation. They really did not initially want to break away from England. The feeling was that they were being forced to by a non responsive Government that was taxing the people of the new colonies without regard to what they were getting for their money. The feeling was that they were being charged for luxuries that only the old country received. The fear was that they had no one that was looking after the colonies needs or wishes.
Colonial rule rested upon violence and coercion in that many colonies were seized with military force; rebellions were regularly suppressed using violence; and forced labor was regularly extracted from the populations of colonies. However, the colonial system also relied on voluntary cooperation.
