Relationship Between Britain And The Colonies

The French and Indian War can be argued to have the most effect on altering the relations between Britain and the Colonies. The relationship between these two power houses began very subtle, as England followed through with a policy of salutary neglect toward the Colonies. The consequence of the war caused the Political and the Economic state of Britain to changed dramatically, causing them to act differently towards the Colonies. This made the Ideologies of the colonies change greatly. Becoming a winner of a mass of land was great to reward to Britain, but this caused them to change the way that they were going to govern, especially in North America. Britain had to find a new way of controlling the Colonies. Before the war, England pursued

At the commence of the War England had a National Debt of 72,000,000 Pounds in 1754. By 1763, England had a National Debt of 135,000,000 Pounds, which equivalent to $10,000,000 today. With this economic collapse, England had to find newer ways of paying this money and a way of paying this off was by making tax and putting them on the Colonies. Mercantilism was employed to give/buy from England the manufactured goods and other items that will keep its economy stable. The British Council in 1763 Complained saying, “ We find that the revenue arising therefrom is very small and inconsiderable, …. and is not yet sufficient to defray a fourth part of the expense necessary for collecting it.” This push to collect more money and enforce new laws created a hatred towards England. In the Document it continues to say, “We observe with concern that through neglect, connivance, and fraud, not only is revenue impaired, but the commerce of the colonies diverted from its natural course”. England came to the conclusion that through their neglect towards the Colonies and not paying attention to them, they were able to do what they wanted. Britain enforcing the Stamp Act resulted in a huge deterioration to the Economy. Benjamin’s letter to John Hughes in Document G confirmed clearly that they wanted to get the Stamp Act “repeal’d”. Because of the failure to get it repealed, the Colonies began to Boycott

By the end of the war, the loyalty that the Colonies had to England was gone. Before the war the Colonist would 've done anything for Britain and would fight till the death for them. This could be seen for the many wars that the Colonist aid England in even though they didn’t why they were fighting. In Document C, George Washington wrote a letter to Robert Orme showing his dying love to be in service for General Braddock and the British empire quoting, “ believing a more favourable opportunity cannot offer, than to serve under a Gentleman of General Braddock’s abilities and experience”. Serving for British could have one of the most honorable thing that the Colonist could have done. The Colonies were striving even more to helping the British because they thought the British would reward by letting them more out to newer lands and going further west, but unfortunately the opposite happened. In Document A we can see that the British gain an immense amount of land, but they placed the Proclamation Line of 1763. This permitted the Colonist from moving further west and staying one place. This brought lots of angry towards the British Empire thus causing their loyalty and relationship with them to vanish. The Colonies began to grow a desire for Freedom and slowly began to grow a more self sufficient nature, leading to the Revolutionary