The colonists had reached a sense of their own identity and unity as Americans by the eve of the revolution, due to England's neglect of free trade and taxation of the colonies, the colonies' ability to support themselves after the French and Indian War, and an altered view of life from their English counterparts. Within this period of time, the colonists began to feel this way by banding together to stand up to the 'almighty British empire' and all it's iniquities.
The era of "Salutary Neglect" was from the years 1680 thru 1763; during which Britain was defending the colonies from the Fre…