Answer: There were several key influences on the colonists' views of government.
Firstly, the colonists were heavily influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment, which emphasized the importance of reason, liberty, and individual rights. They believed that government should exist solely to protect these rights, and that any government that failed to do so was illegitimate.
Secondly, the colonists were influenced by their experiences of British rule. They resented the heavy taxes imposed on them by the British government, as well as the lack of representation they had in Parliament. They believed that government should be based on the consent of the governed, and that citizens should have a say in the laws and policies that affected them.
Lastly, the colonists were influenced by their experiences of self-governance in their own colonial assemblies. Many of these assemblies developed their own systems of governance, with elected representatives and checks and balances on executive power. This experience gave the colonists a sense of self-determination and a belief in the power of democratic institutions.