Agreed on your first point about declaring independence. The twenty-seven grievances in the Declaration of Independence were about appealing to other nations concerning the rights of citizens.

John Adams said among those dwelling in the colonies: they were divided- There were Loyalists, pacifists, and Patriots.

https://allthingsliberty.com/2013/02/john-adamss-rule-of-thirds/

Even Patriots were divided on the Constitution, some patriots supported it, others refused to sign at all- Patrick Henry for one, and others would balk until there was a Bill of Rights: Samuel Adams and John Hancock.