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Between the years of 1740-1766, the political, economic, and ideological relations between Britain and the American colonies were altered in effect of the French and Indian war due to the British bringing in more troops to control the expanding colonies; controlling the trade and enforcing taxation; along with the unfair treatment of the colonists threatening their rights as Englishmen. The relationship between Britain and its American colonies altered both in positive and negative ways. This can be proven with the provided documents. The British defeated the French in 1763, and acquired their land up to the Mississippi river.
This gain of land required the British to send more troops to maintain control in the colonies. This increase of British involvement also meant that Britain was in debt and believed that because they protected the colonists, they should help repay Britain. After the colonist established their own representative governments during the period of salutary neglect, they did not need this much British involvement. This led the colonist to believe they had no political rights or involvement of their own affairs. However on the other hand, a George Washington addresses General Edward Braddock, hoping to enroll a military career under his command.
Also Reverend Thomas Barnard showed his delight of the victory over the French and stated that the colonies were now “Safe from the Enemy of the Wilderness…” during one of his sermons. This shows that not all colonists believed that British involvement had a negative impact, because Washington wanted to enlist as a ‘British’ soldier in the colonies and Barnard thought the children of New England should be grateful of “our indulgent Mother, who has most generously rescued and protected us…” Soon after the war the British began to strictly regulate trade and began to enact taxes such as the Stamp Act.
This angered many of the colonists and they began to protest against ‘taxation without representation’. Benjamin Franklin sent a letter to John Hughs in 1765 stating “As to the Stamp Act, tho we propose doing our Endeavour to get it repeal’d in which I am sure you would concur…” Even in a newspaper masthead there was a reference to the Stamp Act by putting a skull and crossbones where a stamp should have been located. The strict trade regulation also was not favorable by the colonists.
In a British Order in Council, a man had said due to the population and territory increase, it has cost more to maintain the colonies and that “proper regulation of their trade is of immediate necessity. ” The trade regulation began and the British took control over all trade and placed tariffs on many of their items. The dislike of the taxation spread wide through the colonies and they rebelled against it. Britain was forced to remove the Stamp Act, but in turn had enacted a different tax.
The colonists had become more frustrated with the British and realized that they were losing their rights as Englishmen and this had infuriated them. In the Newspaper masthead it stated “the times are dreadful, doleful, dismal, dolorous, and dollar-less. ” The newspaper also stated “Adieu adieu to liberty. ” This emphasizes that the colonists are going through a bad time because of the taxes and they were losing their liberty, or freedom, that they should have as Englishmen. Tension between British and the Colonists was rising.
In a Massachusetts soldier’s diary he had written “And we, being here within stone walls, are not likely to get liquors or clothes at this time of the year; and though we be Englishmen born, we are debarred Englishmen’s liberty. ” This diary showed that not only him, but all of the men were denied rights of Englishmen. The French and Indian war altered the political, economic, and ideological relationship between the British and its American colonies as stated above. Even though most evidence points toward a negative alteration of the relationship between Britain and its colonies, some evidence does provide a more positive relationship.