Between 1625 and 1775, the colonial population grew from roughly 2,000 to over 2 million, often displacing American Indians.
In the 18th century, the British government operated its colonies under a policy of mercantilism, in which the central government administered its possessions for the economic benefit of the mother country.
Slavery was introduced during the colonial period. The Thirteen Colonies had a high degree of self-governance and active local elections, and they resisted London's demands for more control.
The French and Indian War (1754–63) against France and its Indian allies led to greater tensions between Britain and the Thirteen Colonies.
In the 1750s, the colonies began collaborating with one another instead of dealing directly with Britain.
These inter-colonial activities cultivated a sense of shared American identity and led to calls for protection of the colonists' "Rights as Englishmen", especially the principle of "no taxation without representation".
Grievances with the British government led to the American Revolution, in which the colonies collaborated in forming a Continental Congress which declared independence in 1776 and fought the American Revolutionary War (1775–83) with the aid of France, the Dutch Republic, and Spain.
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