Final answer:
The British considered the American colonists to be guilty of treason, as colonists rebelled against duties and taxes, resisted British authority, and even committed overt acts like the burning of the Gaspée and the Boston Tea Party.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the eyes of the British, the colonists were guilty of committing the crime of treason. This view emerged particularly after events like the burning of the British revenue ship Gaspée in 1772, which led the British government to convene a Royal Commission of Inquiry with the authority to take those charged with treason to Great Britain for trial. The colonists saw this as overreach of British power.
Additionally, the British viewed the colonists' actions, such as the Boston Tea Party, as a form of rebellion against British tax laws, and these attacks against British soldiers and property were considered subversive and treasonous. In essence, the colonists were seen as rebelling against the Crown and breaking the law by undermining British authority and refusing to comply with taxation and laws imposed by Parliament.
Furthermore, the imposition of new taxes (to repay war debts and maintain troops), the enforcement of housing British soldiers, and the escalation of conflicts leading up to the American Revolution were all contributing factors that exacerbated the British view of the colonists as traitors.