What was a primary complaint of the colonists against the British government?

The primary complaint of the colonists against the British government centered on the imposition of high taxes. During the lead-up to the American Revolution, the British Parliament enacted a series of tax laws that targeted the colonies without their consent, famously highlighted by slogans like "No taxation without representation." This reflected the colonists' belief that they should not be taxed by a government in which they had no elected representatives. Taxes such as the Stamp Act and the Tea Act were particularly controversial and fueled widespread protests, leading to events like the Boston Tea Party.

While military defenses, trade opportunities, and immigration laws were issues of concern, they were not as central to the core grievance that propelled the colonists toward revolution as the issue of taxation. The financial burdens imposed by these taxes were seen as unjust, contributing significantly to the desire for independence from British rule.