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The French and Indian War (1754 ??? 1763) gradually worsened the political, economic and ideological relations between Britain and its American colonies even though Britain and the American colonies gained land from the French (Document A). An example of this would be in order to keep peace with the Indians, the British government prohibited American colonists from expanding westward beyond the Appalachian Mountains. Also, when Britain was in debt from the French and Indian War, they imposed more taxes on the American colonies.
Furthermore, the colonists weren’t happy about the concessions given to the Catholics in Quebec. Politically, relations between Britain and its American colonies were tense before and after the French and Indian War. Before the war, Canassatego, Chief of the Onondago Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy (Document B), demanded on the removal of the colonist from their land. Therefore, in order to get rid of the tension between the Indians and Britain, the British government passed the Proclamation of 1763, which angered the colonists and expanded westward despite the law.
From England, when Benjamin Franklin wrote (Document G), “a firm Loyalty to the Crown and faithful Adherence to the Government of this Nation, …, will always be the wisest Course … to take. “, he meant that being loyal to the crown and following the laws of the government was the best thing that anyone could do in the American colonies. Tension between Britain and the American colonies is shown in Document H, when there is a skull shown on a newspaper masthead and “Adieu Adieu to LIBERTY” down the side. Economically, the American colonies were paying for the debt that Britain was in.
That meant more taxes and impaired revenues. Because of the taxes that Britain was imposing on the American colonist, only a “small” amount of revenue was being collected from the American colonies and the West Indies (Document F). Ideologically, religion and individual wants drifted Britain and the American colonies apart. In Document E, Rev. Thomas Barnard states that New England actively fought for peace and liberty. Also, after the war, soldiers weren’t allowed to go home as the war ended, they were stuck in the forts for an extra few days (Document D).
Although, the relations between Britain and the American colonies became tense, the unity of the colonies became stronger, as it is implied in George Washington’s letter to Robert Orme (Document C) when he wants to serve under General Braddock. The French and Indian War caused a lot of unwanted tension between Britain and the American colonies that would lead to the American Revolution. Politically, economically, and ideologically, the war had an impact on the way Britain was treating the American colonies and how the American colonists were not tolerating any more from Britain.