Why did American colonists want to be free from Great Britain?

The American Revolution (1775–1783) resulted from numerous events and grievances that had steadily exacerbated relations between America and Britain. These events occurred between 1763 and 1776, and war ensued.
By the mid-18th century, the colonists and Britain had different social beliefs and economic interests. Mercantilism and the Navigation Acts were supposed to regulate trade between the two to Britain's advantage, but the colonists enjoyed a great deal of autonomy and the relationship was relatively harmonious.
In 1763, the French were defeated, and England became the hegemon of North America. This changed the relationship for the worse. The colonists knew they no longer needed English protection from the French. At the same time, England began to tax the colonists and enforce trade regulations more strictly. The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first major dispute. The Townshend Acts (1767) followed.
Colonists thought these measures—and the taxes they were designed to collect—were unfair. They claimed that they were not represented in Parliament, so it was taxation without representation. There were violent incidents, like the Boston Massacre (1770) and the burning of the Gaspee (1772).
A full-scale battle occurred at Lexington and Concord in 1775, and the revolution began. But many colonists were still reluctant to break from England; these people were known as Loyalists.
In 1776, two events caused an irreparable break. First, Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense—a convincing argument for independence. Then the Declaration of Independence made it official: the United States was proclaimed an independent nation.