The French and Indian War Historical Essay Example

📌Category: Colonialism, History, War
📌Words: 945
📌Pages: 4
📌Published: 16 February 2022

The French and Indian War was fought due to arguments over who owned what land, and the urgent need to take land in the new world. It altered political relations with the British and American colonies because the colonists realized that they were being told to do things without any say in it. Also, Britain had a huge debt from the war and they solved this by severely enforcing mercantilism laws on the colonists. After the French almost held their own against the British the Americans realized that Britain was not the top powerhouse and that the British army could be beaten. The colonies thought that it was their right to the new land on the west of the Appalachian mountains, that Native Americans still had a holdover. The French and Indian War affected the British and colony’s relationship by leading to mercantilism, differences of viewpoint, and the British taking an active role in the political affairs of the colonists.

The French and Indian War affected the political relationship between Britain and its Colonies because Britain abandoned its old policies and created new, enforced policies for the colonists. In document F, Parliament talks about how through neglect the colonies have diverted their trade to places other than just Britain. As they increased in territory and population their trade had to be immediately regulated. This is also shown in document A, where it illustrates how now after the war the English have a vast amount of new land. In response to all of this new land, the British placed the Proclamation Line in 1763, which prohibited the colonists from expanding westward. This shows how after the French and Indian War the British now have most of the new world and they now have to figure out a way to keep order and control of this all. This leads to many different political groups emerging in the colonies, for example, the Sons of Liberty, who emerged in the colonies to fight against British control and enrage loyalists who lived in the colonies. The Sons of Liberty used political cartoons, an example of this is used in document H, to persuade the colonists and try to get them to believe in their side of the story. In these political cartoons, they would often say things that the colonists strongly believed in. For example, in this one it says farewell, and departing to liberty, which shows how they need their liberty in the colonies. As the colonists are further angered they start to detach from previously thinking that they are British to thinking that they are now just controlled by the British. 

The French and Indian War altered the ideological relationships between the British and its colonies because the colonists thought that it was their right to the new land and the job of taxing themselves. The colonists started to resent the British because they had to pay taxes for the war that they helped in. Colonists believed that it was unfair because they never had to pay taxes before, and because they helped in the war. As the colonists tried to expand, they ran into Native American resistance, because the native Americans had lived on these lands for hundreds of years. In document B, a speech from the chief of the Onondaga nation to representatives of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, talks about getting the colonists off the Natives’ land and telling them not to come back ever again. In document D, it talks about how even though they are fighting for England, they are not seen as Englishmen. These ideas help lead to a growing sense of unity, and the idea that the colonists did not want to be Britain anymore. Just like how document E, talks about how good a day it will be when Britain lets go of the colonies. These new ideological thoughts in the colonies significantly stained the British and Colony relationship.  

The French and Indian War altered the economic relationship because the war caused an extremely high debt for the British leading them to tax the colonists to try to get money for these debts. Many of the colonists were very angry about these acts because it led to the end of Salutary Neglect which they had had before the war. But after the war, Britain enlisted many acts, which the British thought was fair since they had to pay taxes, but the colonists thought it was unfair since they had never paid direct taxes before. During the war, General Braddock was a British general who was trying to control the Ohio valley and kick the French out. In document C, George Washington talked about how he wanted to help and be enlisted in Braddocks service. At the time many colonists liked General Braddock because his goals were in favor of the colonists. The colonists did not like how they could control everything politically and economically before the war, but then after the war, Britain took control of the colonies. This is portrayed in document G, where it explains why the colonists want the Stamp Act to be repealed by Parliament. When Britain repealed this act it shows how they will let the colonists have some say in material matters but they are still in control of the colonies. 

To sum up, the French and Indian War affected the Colonies and British relationship because it led to many new leadership tactics for the Colonies from the King in England. These led to mercantilism, the British taking a present role in the political activities of the colonists, and differences in colonial perspectives. Many other mother countries have done the same things to their own countries, and many kings have done this to their people; When a sole person is in control of everything and is a dictator the atmosphere or the country is not always the best. One of the most recent ones is Brexit, where the United Kingdom left the European Union. When people are forced to conform or act one way it leads to revolts because you can not change a society that you are not even a part of.

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