The American colonists wanted an active role in their government with the ability to dictate their own laws, taxes, and of the like. However, as Parliament gained more power in Britain, they only saw it fitting that they should have that same authority over the colonies. The colonists, on the other hand, did not agree. Without the freedom to make decisions for themselves, what freedom did they truly have? If they were under the complete control of Parliament in this way, they were not much more than salves being run by a slave master. The colonists were driven by the notion that they were not free if their government was being run by any people other than themselves--and freedom is precisely what they were after. .
The more powerful Parliament became the more power they wanted. Eventually, they overthrew King James II just to replace with a new king under a new regime. It was made clear that with this new regime, they were now the higher authority over the king. Final decisions were theirs. It was their right to tax the British people if they saw the need. With this power in Britain, it only made sense to Parliament for them to exercise the same practices over the colonists. .
Parliament saw this as an opportunity to pay their debts through taxation on the colonists. If they could tax the people in Britain, then it just made sense to tax the colonies as well. But the colonists, however, did not see eye to eye with them on this. They were not their debts, therefore, it was not their duty to pay them. But with Parliament being the highest governmental authority in Britain, who was there to stop them? There didn't seem to be anyone. This led the colonists to lose faith in Parliament as a leader and an adequate governmental authority over them.
Tom Paine published his pamphlet Common Sense when the people most needed it. He explained to the reader how, from his perspective, serving a king was unbiblical idolatry.
