Mohamed Adnan APUSH pd 8

The French and Indian War was a major turning point in United States history and had

changed its relationship with Britain in many ways. These changes are political, economic, and

ideological changes occurring during 1740-1766. The British started to take small steps into

governing the colonists by setting new laws and by placing thousands of British soldiers into the

American colonies. Also, they started taxing the colonists like the Sugar Act of 1764 and the

Stamp Act of 1765 to help pay for Britain’s own war but leading to a weaker American

economy. Finally, the colonists thought that they didn’t need Britain anymore and were tired of

the British laws and taxes so they started to retaliate.

Victory after the war had led to excitement and joy, according to Rev. Thomas Barnard,

he pictures a new time of peace and freedom. Instead, the colonies were given new laws that

restricted their freedoms, such as the Navigation Laws enforced in 1763 due to salutary neglect

had set rules for mercantilism. These laws said that American goods could only be transported on

British ships. This set restrictions on tobacco traders because this meant only trading with Britain

and no monopolies. Also, to pay for the war, taxes on sugar and stamp were given out and gave a

notion of “taxation without representation” among the colonists. Although, George Grenville

said that America was actually represented because the parliament represented Britain and

America was part of Britain’s empire so America was actually being represented by the

parliament. Britain could also void American laws through the Privy Council. This was not truly

peace and freedom for everyone unlike what Thomas Barnard had said. (Doc. E) Also, with the

French no longer being a threat to the colonists and Britain, power had risen due to expansion.

The English had basically taken all territory East of the Mississippi river after 1763. An increase

in territory meant that more governing power was needed. Around 10,000 British soldiers were

placed within the colonies to regulate the laws and to enforce them and to have a larger military

impact. This had greatly angered the colonists and was a prerequisite for a revolution. (Doc. A)

Also, the economic factors due to the French and Indian war was one of the main reasons

for the American Revolution. The British Order in Council in 1763 had said to enforce the

Navigation Laws and mercantilist policies which were under salutary neglect previously. Also,

an increased debt for Britain meant that the colonies had to suffer through higher revenues. To

feed this large debt due to war and to raise to support a new military force, Britain had taxed the

colonists through a series of Acts. These Acts were the Sugar Acts of 1764, the Stamp Act of

1765 and the Townshend Act of 1767. They taxed colonists on staple goods like sugar, stamps,

paper, paint and tea respectively. This had a huge negative impact on the economy of the

colonists so much that useless paper money was also being printed. (Doc. F) Benjamin Franklin

had, like other colonists, opposed the Stamp Acts greatly. He had aimed for its repeal and had

warned the British of the possibility of a revolt from the colonists. Franklin had preferred

maintaining order and wanted to prevent conflicts within the colonies. He had feared that there

would be an uprising because of the series of acts. This showed that the decrease in American

economy due to revenues had angered the colonists and led them to revolt against the British.

(Doc. G)

Finally, Post taxation, the colonists felt opposition towards the mother country. Britain

had enlisted many men from the colonies to help fight during the French and Indian War

alongside the British troops. Class separations within the army also stirred up opposition because

the British would not allow any American to get up to the rank of Captain. In the diary of a

Massachusetts soldier, the colonial men felt as if they were denied their rights and liberties while

working with the British. They also weren’t provided with the proper clothing or liquor for the

winter. This gave a lot less respect to the British army and more opposition towards them within

the colonies. (Doc. D) Colonial liberties were taken away after the British started to tax them on

staple goods. The American colonists opposition and change in ideology of Britain changed and

was excited by Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”. The Stamp Act was also a contributing factor

because it did cause a downturn in the economy of the colonies which was said to fuel an army

in America that the colonists did not need. This had greatly angered the colonists and had shown

signs of rebellion. The actions of the British had caused a great ideological change within the

American colonies that strayed toward hatred and opposition. (Doc. H)

The French and Indian war had caused a series of changes that was significant in

American history. The aftereffects of the war had sparked up rebellions and eventually the

American Revolution. The war had caused Britain to set laws for mercantilism and strict

governing, taxed the colonists to pay off debts and gave the colonists a sense of opposition

towards the British. Basically, the aftereffects of the French and Indian war caused hatred and

resentment towards the British among the American colonists.