What caused the American Revolution?
Taxes and government rejection were the main incentives.
"No Taxation without Representation" was one of the main slogans of the insurection against Great Britain. The various taxes passed between 1764 and 1773( Stamp Act, Sugar Act, Townshend Act and Tea Act) were unjustified for the colonists who thought that they should not taxed since they had no representation in the British Parliament.
The colonists were inspired by John Locke's principles and claimed that his principles were violated by King George III and thus justified a rebellion. His principles emphasized freedom and property rights.