Early colonial timelines point to  the French and Indian War and its aftermath as  the flashpoint for  the troubles leading up to the Revolutionary War.  The French and Indian War was part of the larger Seven Years' War 1756-1763 that pitted England and Prussia against France, Austria, Russia, and Spain, with fighting spanning North America, Europe, India, Africa, and the Philippines, focused on colonial power, trade, and resources. Prior to that point, most British colonists were pretty satisfied with their situation. The chance to get ahead while beholden to the king was not the irritant it would become later. This was still a time when they could just settle a little farther into the backcountry if they wished to escape the scrutiny of the colonial  tax collectors, sheriffs, judges. It was easier to ignore and escape too much regulatory attention in the far reaches of the colony. The French and Indian War predates the War of Regulation (1770) and the formati...