Because of the way the British treated the colonists, and would not allow peace between the British and the colonists, the colonists decided they did not have a desire for peace anymore, they just wanted independence. Although the British treated the colonists unfair, with all of the taxes they put on the goods for the colonists, the intolerable acts, and more, some leaders and colonists still wanted peace. MAny people were not ready for war between the British army and the continental army. The British army was huge and very strong, the colonial army was brand new, and not nearly as strong, so people thought that the colonists would lose and lose even more freedom. Since the colonists still wanted peace, they sent a document to the king asking him to restore peace between the colonies and Britain. This document was called the Olive Branch petition. The king rejected the petition, and the colonists decided they wanted their independence from Britain. Many colonists prepared for war, others still sided with Britain.
