Look up the Intolerable Acts. that was one of the many acts put in the 13 colonies before the Battle of Lexington and Concord, which was officially the first battle between the British and colonists. Basically everything through the French and Indian War debt to the Boston Tea Party. The colonists didnt have a representation in parliament, hence the phrase "no taxation without representation!" the key here is representation, they did not have a say in what they wanted to do. they were living off of salutary neglect and it was absurd to them that they were given rules without a say.
