Final answer:
The American colonies and Great Britain initially sought to settle differences through various peaceful means. This included arguments against specific types of taxation and conciliatory efforts such as the 'salutary neglect' and the Conciliatory Proposition. However, these efforts failed, leading to the Second Continental Congress drafting the Declaration of Independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Efforts for Peaceful Reconciliation Before the American Revolution
Before the violent outbursts of the American Revolution, the American colonies and Great Britain sought peaceful ways to reconcile differences. Efforts to find a peaceful solution included a series of acts by the Parliament to raise funds without imposing heavy burdens on the colonies, such as the unintended 'salutary neglect'. The colonies responded with petitions and the creation of public arguments against taxes without their own legislative representation, highlighting the right to be taxed only by their elected legislature. This pushback was rooted in their outrage against virtual representation, and internal taxes aimed at raising revenues as opposed to those regulating trade.
In the late 1760s and into the 1770s, as tensions escalated, the British tried to enforce law and order by sending troops to Boston and attempting to confiscate weapons and ammunitions from Massachusetts militias. This led to the infamous clashes at Lexington and Concord. In a final attempt at appeasement, the Prime Minister, Lord North, offered the Conciliatory Proposition in May 1775, which stated Parliament would only levy taxes to regulate trade and that such collected taxes would benefit the colonies directly, but only if they agreed to shoulder some defense costs. Unfortunately, these propositions did not satisfy the colonial expectations, and the Second Continental Congress encountered an unsatisfactory response coupled with disliked British 'aggression'.
Consequently, a more formal separation began to be considered, culminating in the drafting and sending of the Declaration of Independence to Britain, marking a clear shift from the pursuit of peaceful reconciliation to that of outright independence. Ultimately, the failure to reach a peaceful agreement led the colonies toward the path of revolution and the establishment of a new nation founded on democratic principles.