Easy is a subjective term and you are right about all of the rebalance.

Trade is still important, though.

Infrastructure is important for troop movements as well as money you know.

If you crank the difficulty up too far too fast you are going to be frustrated with the play. Stick to normal on your first try. The harder difficulties also mess with the diplomacy, a lot!

Usually the emergence of the 13 Colonies is brought about by one of the tribes capturing a region and when it rebels it does so as the American faction.

In North America you need to build up in Rupert’s Land and take out the Pirates as soon as you can.

In Europe, unlike many, I like to hold on to Gibraltar by building up there also.

Unrealistically trading away regions you have to recapture later is not my style.

You have to balance Army & Navy to win in the end.

Build up your farms early. Work to grow your population, keeping taxes moderate to low. Build schools for your tech research. The rest of the campaign will develop naturally.