French and indian war
French and indian warFrench and Indian War
The victory of the English in the French and Indian War initiated a series of actions that eventually
caused the American Revolution. These actions consisted of England not allowing the colonists to move
westward, starting to heavily enforce the Navigation Laws, and issuing new laws to pay the war debt. After the
war, Great Britain emerged as the dominant power in North America. On the other hand, this power came with a
large cost � England was in debt about �140 million. England did not intend to make the colonies pay for all of
the debt, however, the British felt that they should pay for a third of the cost. This was because Great Britain had
provided approximately 10,000 redcoats to protect the colonies. After the war, the colonists had increased
confidence in their military strength because they had helped their mother country defeat the French and Indians.
Little did the colonists know that rather than receiving credit for their contributions in the war, England would
instead find numerous ways to profit better from the colonies.
England did not allow the colonists to move onto the newly acquired land from the war. The colonists
were "land-hungry" (p.115) because they were now free to move past the Appalachian Mountains. However,
England shocked the colonies by issuing the Proclamation of 1763. This document prohibited the colonists to
settle beyond the Appalachians. The document's purpose was to enable England to work out the land problem
with the Indians as well as prevent another bloody outburst like Pontiac's attacks in the Ohio Valley. Despite this,
the colonists felt that Great Britain was trying to suppress them. They believed that the land past the
Appalachians was their birthright since they had fought for it. Many of the colonists died for the land as well. The
French and Indian War also helped the colonists develop a new concept of their final destiny � to conquer and
rule the continent. After this enlightenment, the colonists were definitely in no mood to be restrained.
England began to strictly enforce laws that in the past they had been lenient with. These laws were
called the Navigation Laws. Their purpose was to enforce the mercantile system. The first Navigation Law,
issued in 1650, restricted commerce to and from colonies to English Vessels. This law was made to prevent Dutch
shippers from making money off the colonies. Another law stated that goods going to America had to go through
England first in order to give them a cut of the profit. The colonists were also required to ship certain products,
mainly tobacco, to England and not to a foreign...
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