Commentary In the 1770s, Britain was the greatest imperial power on the planet. The idea that the 13 colonies could somehow challenge—let alone defeat—the British militarily was almost unfathomable. And yet, by the beginning of 1775, the colonists realized their relationship with Britain needed to change dramatically and conflict could erupt as a result. What that change would look like remained unclear. Some people advocated independence. But others thought there were other options. Indeed, right up until 1775, none other than Thomas Jefferson believed there was a possibility of Britain and the colonies coming to an arrangement that would keep the latter part of the British empire. Regardless, the colonists knew something big was coming. They just didn’t know exactly what it would be. The answer, of course, was revolution—and independence. At its core, the American revolution wasn’t about the right to taxation; it was about whether the colonists were …