Why did the colonists fight the British during the American Revolution?

The primary reason the colonists fought the British during the American Revolution was rooted in the principle of "no taxation without representation." This idea articulated the colonists' dissatisfaction with being taxed by the British Parliament, where they had no elected representatives to voice their interests or concerns. This lack of representation in decision-making processes was perceived as a violation of their rights as Englishmen, leading to widespread outrage among the colonists.

While gaining independence was ultimately the goal of the revolution, it was heavily influenced by this issue of taxation and representation. Many of the grievances listed in documents such as the Declaration of Independence stem from the perceived injustices related to British policies, taxes, and governance.

Other choices like ending slavery and expansion into new territories, while relevant to different historical contexts, were not the central issues that prompted the Revolutionary War. Slavery was a contentious issue that came to the forefront later, and westward expansion became significant in the years following independence. The fight for representation and against oppressive taxation directly catalyzed the conflict leading to the desire for independence.