Prior to the Revolutionary War, the American colonists did not have representation in government. The colonies were governed by the Parliament in Great Britain, and colonists were not allowed to chose a representative that would guard their interests there.
The colonists believed that this was a problem because by not being able to chose legislators, they had no way of influencing the laws that were going to govern them. They were also unable to express their interests and protect their future. The colonists believed that this was particularly important because they were required to pay taxes, but were not allowed to decide how this money was to be used.
