Independence Day In 1767, England placed a tax on all tea used by the American colonist. The colonists protested 'taxation without representation' and refused to allow the tea to be unloaded. In 1773, colonists dressed as Native Americans, boarded ships from the East India Company and threw 300 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. This became known as the Boston Tea Party and the road to freedom was begun. On January 10, 1776 the famous pamphlet Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, was distributed. It swept the colonies invoking a sense of pride and determination. The Spirit of '76 was born. On July 4, 1776, Congress passed the Declaration of Independence. It announced to the world that 'these United Colonies' are 'Free and Independent States' and absolved their ties with England, thus beginning the war for independence. They had declared their right to 'Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.' Which year is the year when the American colonists began to fight a war for independence?