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The colonies were not unified. Benjamin Franklin discovered this quite clearly when he invented the Albany Plan of Union in 1754. This plan, under the slogan "Join, or Die," would have brought the colonial rivals together to meet the common threat of the French and Indians. Much to Franklin's chagrin, this plan was soundly defeat. Much happened between the years of 1763 and 1776. The colonists felt unfairly taxed, watched over like children, and ignored in their attempts to address grievances. Religious issues rose to the surface, political ideals crystallized, and, as always, economics were the essence of many debates. For their part, the British found the colonists unwilling to pay their fair share for the administration of the Empire. After all, citizens in England paid more in taxes than was asked of any American during the entire time of crisis. The 1770 Boston Massacre was only one in a series of events that led American colonists to revolt against Britain. This was not the first time American colonists found themselves in a dispute with Great Britain. But this time the cooler heads did not prevail. Every action by one side brought an equally strong response from the other. The events during these important years created sharp divisions among the English people, among the colonists themselves, and between the English and the Colonists. Over time, the geographic distance between England and the colonies became more and more noticeable. It took England time to respond to Colonial provocations and to administer the settled areas of America. Further, some now questioned how it could be that a tiny island nation could contain and rule the American continent. Before long, The Treaty of Paris, which marked the end of the French and Indian War, granted Britain a great deal of valuable North American land. But the new land also gave rise to a plethora of problems. At this time the point of no return was reached.