Colonial Identity and Unity

On the eve of revolution, Colonists began to unify in contempt of their home country who continuously burdened them with new laws and restrictions from far away. Distance between America and Britain contributed greatly in thinning Britains influence over its colonies. In trying to strengthen the hold that they were inevitably losing, they only succeeded in angering the colonists and prolonging the revolution itself. Considering that the colonists were only allowed to trade with theire home country, and that the home country was ever so vigorously enforcing its mercantilist policies, and that they were being heavily taxed (with good reason) for the war that Britain had just fought on their behalf, it is understandable why they would rebel. Why, when fully capable of independence, and fundamentally different from it, would they have to be tied down by a country who consistently troubled them with new restrictions every chance it had? Not only that, but as a people, they had no equal representation of their own in Britain. Economically stressed, colonists banded together in protest of the now seemingly leech rival country. As time passed, they began to see themselves as Americans more so than rebelious, transplanted Britons.