Final answer:
American colonists opposed British-imposed taxes primarily because they had no direct representation in Parliament, which they argued was a violation of their rights as per historical legal documents. They rejected the concept of virtual representation and took direct actions to express their dissent.
Step-by-step explanation:
The major argument used by American colonists to resist paying taxes imposed by the British Parliament was that they lacked direct representation in that legislative body.
The right of individuals or their representatives to consent to taxation was a principle rooted in historical documents like Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights. Since the colonists had no elected representatives in the British Parliament, they believed that this form of taxation violated their rights as English subjects.
Furthermore, the sense of virtual representation that the British government claimed was in effect, was rejected by the colonists as they felt that it had no applicability to their unique circumstances.
These objections were underpinned by the perceived infringement on their rights, which included not only taxation without representation but also regulations going beyond commerce to actually raising revenue directly from the colonists, contrary to their understanding of the British constitution and existing tradition.
Colonial protests included not just intellectual arguments but also direct action such as boycotting English goods, riots, and intimidation of tax collectors.
The feeling of autonomy cultivated by the practice of colonial assemblies' control over local officials' salaries known as 'the power of the purse' further intensified the resistance against British-imposed taxes.