Between 1750 and 1776 facts proves that colonist were not unified and identified as Americans. They had unified as British to battle in the French Indian War, as colonist to eradicate taxes imposed by the British, but not as Americans to claim their Independence.
During the French Indian War the colonist united together and fought as part of the British forces, but were not united separate for the British at this time. Although there were a small number of people urging for unity it was not unity as Americans braking away from the mother England. Ben Franklin was one of them he pushed for the colonies to unite on a decision for defense and protection against Indians at the Albany Congress, but it was not accomplished. Not even all of the colonies had representatives Albany congress, only seven of the thirteen colonies had representatives present.
In 1764 Britain began to tax the colonies. The colonies unfamiliar with taxes from the crown retaliated. The Stamp Act in 1765 set in motion the parade of upset that unified the colonies separate from Britain for the first time. The colonist screamed, "No Taxation With Out Representation." And the British screamed back Virtual representation, which is the idea that parliament represented the entire British Empire. The colonist did not accept Virtual representation, representation was not what they really wanted; they just didn't want to pay taxes. It was said by Edmund Burk that the differences between Britain and the colonies at that point were so different that Britain was not suitable to rule the colonies. Burk stood practically alone in this idea. At this point it very few people wanted to break away from Britain in fact many people were totally loyal to the British crown. Colonists, who were against taxing, organized themselves in groups such as the "Sons of Liberty". These Gangs harassed British tax collectors and were involved in heinous events such as the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea party.