The colonists had become frustrated by Britain's levying of a series of taxes on them to get out of debt incurred during the French and Indian War. The colonists felt that taxation without representation was unfair. Things came to a head in Boston in 1773 when colonists dumped 340 chests of tea into Boston Harbor in protest of the Tea Act. In response, the British government passed the Intolerable Acts, which included the closing of Boston Harbor. At the First Continental Congress, held in 1774, the colonists united to oppose Britain. The British ordered troops to march on Concord in 1775 in search of an arsenal. The first shots of the war were fired on April 19, 1775.
A citizen becomes involved in policy making by participating in elections. This is because policies will mostly be determined by the elected officials hence the need to ensure that one votes for representatives sharing similar views. This can also be achieved through participation in council meetings
