The document discusses several key events and documents related to the growing tensions between the American colonies and Britain in the late 18th century: 1) It discusses Thomas Paine's 1776 pamphlet "Common Sense" which argued strongly that the American colonies should declare independence from Britain. 2) It summarizes the Declaration of Stamp Act Congress from 1765 which protested Britain's Stamp Act and asserted colonial rights. 3) It provides an excerpt from the United States Declaration of Independence from 1776 which formally declared the colonies' independence and outlined the colonists' grievances against the British king.