The central issue that fueled the American Revolutionary War was the question of taxation without representation. Colonists in the thirteen American colonies strongly opposed British parliamentary taxes imposed after the French and Indian War, believing they should not be taxed without having representatives in the British Parliament. Legislation like the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts ignited protests, leading to the rallying cry of "no taxation without representation." This perceived injustice contributed to growing tensions between the colonists and the British government, ultimately fostering a desire for independence that would culminate in the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1775.