Final answer:
The resistance of American colonists to British rule led to escalating tension, the formation of the Continental Congress, and ultimately the American Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The growing resistance of American colonists to British rule in the second half of the eighteenth century resulted in a series of events that ultimately led to the American Revolution. While initially, the goal was not to seek full independence, the imposition of taxes without representation and other restrictive acts like the Intolerable Acts and the Townshend Acts fueled a desire for self-governance among the colonists.
British efforts to consolidate control over its colonies further exacerbated the situation, leading to the formation of the Continental Congress and the declaration of independence through the Declaration of Independence. This period of unrest in American history was not characterized by an immediate revolt nor by a prolonged period of inaction and despair but by a gradual escalation of protest and political organizing that crystallized into an outright revolution.