There was significant diversity in the opinions held by the colonists of America regarding British rule just prior to 1776. The colonists shared their individual opinions on this matter through symbolic acts like the Boston Tea Party, and through printed material like Thomas Paine's Common Sense. This diversity of opinion was probably responsible for why it took so long for the colonists to finally declare their freedom, and that's why it took so long to fight force with force and battle for what they believed in -- liberty. In the end, however, the majority felt that it was best for them to declare independence and break from their parenting country from which they came (England).
The word majority means not all, but a high percentage. The vast majority of Americans felt like they should be free, but others felt they should remain loyal to England (Tories).
Many colonists felt that they should remain under a single ruler, even if he was a tyrant (King George) a thousand miles away, rather than have a thousand new tyrants living in the same country (congress)--document D--. Other colonists were not like the radicals called the Sons of Liberty, but nor were they loyalists either. It just didnt make sense to them to have someone govern them without an appreciation for what was going on here in America or to enforce laws that worked well in England, but not is America. Never the less, they didnt want to raise arms against England and break all ties completely. These kinds of colonists, which could be called neutralists or political moderates, just wanted a sense of harmony between the colonies and their mother country-Document E--. Another group of colonist felt they should stay completely loyal to England. Their argument was that England protected the colonies from the French and Spanish, and prospered to the point where they lived envious lives. But, there were many within the factions who were feeble minded and easily swayed by the patriots speaking against England Document F-.
