Final answer:
The colonists strongly resisted British authority under the Dominion of New England through militaristic uprisings, political challenges, and the development of a unique American identity and concept of self-governance that culminated in direct actions like the First Continental Congress.
Step-by-step explanation:
To what extent did the colonists resist British authority under the Dominion of New England? The colonists exhibited significant resistance to British authority during the period of the Dominion of New England, particularly through political and militaristic actions. The overthrow of the Dominion government in 1689 in Boston, led by an angry mob that detained Sir Edmund Andros and other leaders, was a stark illustration of the colonists' animosity toward British rule - a sentiment fuelled by the enforcement of the Navigation Acts and the establishment of Church of England practices in Puritan Boston.
In New York, Jacob Leisler's revolt against the dominion government in the same year underscored this resistance, going as far as to organize military action independent of British authority. Leisler's actions directly challenged the Crown's power, a defiance that would cost him his life. This period of resistance sowed seeds of disaffection which reached new heights with the introduction of the Intolerable Acts and the convening of the First Continental Congress as a direct challenge to Lord North and British colonial policy.
The resistance to British rule and authority was further compounded by the imposition of additional taxes to fund British troops in North America, the trial of smugglers in admiralty courts without juries, and the extension of Quebec's territory to the detriment of colonial interests.
Political tension between colonial assemblies and British-appointed governors eventually contributed to a unique sense of American identity and self-governance among the colonists. The assemblies continuously expanded their power and responsibility, often getting the governors to accept their demands. Such negotiations maintained a semblance of self-government, reinforcing the colonists' belief in their rights as British citizens and their freedom to protest objectionable policies from Parliament.