The author portrays the Pontiac War, for example, as an Indian war of independence against British rule. The level of bloodshed and the number of displaced or destroyed Indian populations grew not only in relation with Indian-British violent relation but also due to East-West migration. As soon as French presence disappeared, white colonists started moving aggressively in Indian territory creating even more instability in the region for Britain. Weakened by wars fought inside and outside the American continent, Britain lost even more of its military power in its conflicts with the Indians, offering a context for North American independence. The author builds upon this and also presents the relations between other colonists of the North American Plains. Spanish, French or British soldiers reaction to the 1763 events are also important elements in the 1783 American Independence War, as the year has not only reshaped state borders but it also created new cultural and ethnic borders and relations.
The book is an essential reading in understanding the facts that resulted in the American Independence going to the roots of social, cultural and political change in the continent. Furthermore, the value of the book lies in the attractive narrative on evolution of cultural and ethnic elements that other populations beside the Anglo-Americans had during these times. Indian, French, Spanish, African and even Canadian...
Different interests, cultures, languages and mentalities form what we know today as on the most multicultural state.
Although not unique in the American literature on 18th century revolution, the book creates an important framework for conflict analysis. Although the title contains the year 1763, this book is not a study only about that year. It is an important tool in observing the evolution of intercultural and interethnic relations towards the 1783 events, as well as setting the stage for a more in depth analysis of early 19th century American society. Relations between Native Americans, Spaniards, French, African slaves or English settlers, alongside with early "Americanized" white population mixed with an unconstructive colonial British policy imploded into the 1783 Independence. Calloway, in this historical and cultural analysis, efficiently observes the relations between these populations and its results.
All in all, Colin Calloway not only answered in an impressive way on the topic of American transformation in the 18th century, but asked a very important question. Not only he accurately described political events of the period, but also went deeper to the core of American transformation of that period: the type of relations between various populations in…
