Why did colonists want to break away from Great Britain?

The
colonists wanted to break away from Britain for many reasons.  They had enjoyed a great deal of
autonomy before the French and Indian War due to the British policy of salutary neglect.  After
the war, Parliament became more strict in demanding money.  The colonists wanted to keep the
money and not give it to Parliament, in which they were not represented.  Parliament responded
that members do not necessarily represent their district; rather, one member can speak for the
good of the entire realm.  

The colonists also protested the Proclamation
Line of 1763, which gave Native Americans land west of the Appalachians.  A considerable part of
the colonial economy was made up of land speculationthe colonists needed this new land and
resented being told that they could not have it.  Also, many colonists started to question
whether this move was actually for their safety. Some suspected that it was designed in order to
make them easier to tax on the coast.  

Finally, the colonists felt as though
their rights had been abridged.  Colonial tax dodgers could be taken to Britain and placed in
front of a panel of judges rather than being judged by a trial of their peers back in the
colonies.  The Boston Massacre occurred when British soldiers fired upon a mob near a customs
house.  The Tea Act made the colonists pay a tax on tea whether they actually used it or not. 
As a result, some colonists dressed up as Indians and threw the tea into Boston Harbor. 
Parliament then levied the Intolerable Acts. This led to the city of Boston being occupied as it
would be if it was conquered enemy territory.  The colonists felt oppressed and felt as though
Britain was not treating them as British citizens.  This is why they decided to obtain
independence.