How the French and Indian War altered British-American colonial relations

American History

After years of protracted terse relationships between British colonists and French authorities, a treaty of Paris was initiated in 1763. The British by this time had spent so much of their resources in the war and had to seek tax revenues from the American colonists. This was the primary cause of the American Revolution (Age, 2010). After the treaty, Great Britain was undoubtedly the strongest power in Europe. She had the largest empire the world over. In fact, after the treaty they did manage to stop the combined French and Indian attacks.

The Americans consequently expanded into Indian lands. The French and Indian war of 1754-63 that culminated into signing of the treaty of Paris altered the political, economic and ideological relations between Britain and its American colonies. One of the issues that precipitated American Revolution was the passing of the series of laws between 1763 and 1775. These laws regulated trade and taxes. Tensions escalated between the colonists and the imperial officials. The "warring factions" were adamant that the British Parliament never addressed the complaints that the Americans raised. The colonists felt that the British were a corrupt and autocratic empire that threatened the American's traditional liberties. This formed the basis for the colonial declaration of independence.

The heavy debts incurred during the war forced the British Colonial authorities to reduce duties on sugar and molasses. However, the duties were enforced more strictly than ever before. Taxes paid by the colonists resultantly increased. This made the colonial governments of New York and Massachusetts to send letters of protests to parliament.

Apart from severe taxation, the war also led to post war recession. The British Merchants consequently requested payments for debts that colonists had incurred buying British imports. The payments had to be made in British sterling pounds as opposed to the colonial currency which they argued had questionable value. As a result, the 1764 Currency Act was signed. The Act forbade colonies from issuing paper currency. The colonists found it extremely difficult paying their debts and taxes.

After the Currency Act had been passed, the then British Prime Minister proposed a stamp tax that obligated colonists to purchase government issued stamps for legal documents and other paper goods. When the bill was brought before the floor of the house it sailed through. The Parliament therefore had a duty to tax the colonies. The Stamp Act did not go down well with the colonies. In fact, the Virginia House of Burgesses passed a resolution that sought to deny the British Parliament the authority to tax the British colonies. Rioters visited destruction on the house of stamp distributer in Boston. There were protests all over America.