Benign Neglect Essay

Before 1763, Great Britain and the British-American colonies have a strong relationship that was dependent on two main factors, benign neglect and trade and protection. Benign neglect was a factor in Great Britain and the British American colonies’ relationship because it was the very foundation of their relationship. Instead of enforcing their authority from the beginning, the British government let the colonies govern themselves. The only interaction the British government had with the colonies was worrying about when their security and stability was threatened, and as long as the colonies follow the Navigation Act the British government left them alone. Besides being involved in security, the only other time Great Britain interacted with

Another reason why the colonists were enraged with the British was due to the fact they made treaties with the Native Americans. This treaty was named The 1763 Royal Proclamation and it opposed the colonists’ expansion at the expense of the Native Americans. Basically the British government tried to limit how far the colonists could expand and the colonists did not have sympathy for the idea of the Crown’s responsibilities for agreements with the Native Americans. The colonists thought they were entitled to the land and the government over seas did not understand their need and desire for expansion. In fact the colonists did not respect this proclamation and flat out refused to follow it. Because the colonists were fixed on expansion, the British government sent troops over to protect the colonies from their desire of westward

In order to send the army the British government passed the Quartering Act, the purpose of this act was to make it easier to enforce order. However, the colonists took this “as an infringement of charter rights that threatened the liberties of all colonies.” The standing army was considered a violation of their rights because the colonists did not view it as a form of protection but one of force and control. The colonists thought that the British government was preparing to invade them if needed. This belief was not a radical one because in Britain’s past history, Parliament was afraid the king would use his standing army to invade the citizens. They passed a law that stated the crown needed Parliament approval for an army. George III had Parliament approval, which is what worried the colonists, because George III sent over 10,000 troops to be stationed in the colonies for their protection, but he failed to tell the colonists what the purpose of the army was for. The lack of communication between Great Britain and the colonies caused major misunderstandings that led to the destabilization of their imperial