Final answer:
The colonists objected to being taxed without representation rather than the amount of tax, viewing it as a breach of their rights as English subjects. They accepted taxes for trade regulation but opposed revenue-raising taxes without their consent. Their political ideology was rooted in the right to direct representation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The colonists' primary concern was not the amount of the taxes, but rather the principle of being taxed without representation. They believed that only their elected representatives had the authority to levy taxes on them, so direct taxation by the British Parliament was seen as a violation of their rights as English subjects.
This right to consent to taxation was a principle established in the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights. Consequently, the colonial political ideology was tightly bound to the notion of direct representation.
Imposing taxes to regulate trade was more acceptable to the colonists because such taxes were traditionally used to control commerce for the entire empire, which was perceived differently from taxes intended to raise revenue directly from the colonies without their consent.
The Stamp Act Congress, which represented multiple colonies, unified in declaring that taxation without representation was unconstitutional and a threat to their liberty.