The introduction of new English mercantilist policies changed its economic & military attitude towards the colonies: England increased protective tariffs

& trade regulations so the colonies worked for motherland

If that failed, go to war with economic rivals & get the colonists to fight too

These regulations began with the Navigation Acts in 1660

The French & Indian War changed EVERYTHING between

England & the coloniesNew mercantilist policies after the

French & Indian War led to colonial resentment & the American Revolution

A series of European conflicts involving England & France spilled over into colonial North America: King William’s War (1689-1697) Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713) King George's War (1743-1748)

These wars were based on mercantilist competition & had little political significance, but…

…these wars led to a land frenzy in the 1750s, among French & British colonists

Territorial disputes along the Ohio River sparked the French & Indian War

1754 proved to be a turning point in American colonial history

In 1754, English officials & colonists met to discuss Iroquois problems at the Albany Congress Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Albany

Plan of UnionPlan of Union for a coordinated colonial army

The plan was vetoed by colonial assemblies & Parliament

This would give the colonists too much power

The plan was too expensive & would limit each colony’s power to control its own actions

In 1754, VA governor sent 22 year old George Washington to protect an Ohio Company claim

Washington’s troops were forced to retreat from Fort Duquesne; This clash proved to be

the beginning of the French & Indian War

The war went bad for England from 1756 to 1758

In 1757, Prime Minister William Pitt took command of the military: Used well-qualified generals Had a “blank check” to fund the war in

America, India, & Europe In 1758, the tide of the war turned;

England won by 1760

By 1761, By 1761, Spain Spain

became an became an ally of ally of FranceFrance

1758-1761 The Tide Turns for England

1758-1761 The Tide Turns for England

France—lost Canada, most of its empire in India, & claims to lands east of the Mississippi River

Spain—got all French lands west of the Miss. River, New Orleans, but lost Florida to England

England—gained all French lands in Canada, exclusive rights to the Caribbean slave trade, & total control of India

America in 17501750 America in 17631763

Colonial viewsColonial views: Colonies could be very strong when they

worked together Newly gained frontier presented

opportunities for wealth & land Colonists learned how to fight

English viewsEnglish views: Americans were slow to organize &

balked at helping raise money even to protect their own lands

British-American TensionsBritish-American TensionsColonialsColonials BritishBritish

Fighting Fighting MethodsMethods

Indian-style Indian-style guerilla guerilla attacksattacks

Marching in Marching in formationformation

Military Military OrganizationOrganization

Militias led Militias led by captainsby captains

British officers British officers in charge of in charge of

colonialscolonials

FinancesFinances Resistant to Resistant to rising taxes rising taxes

Colonists should Colonists should help pay for their help pay for their

own defenseown defense

The war increased England’s colonial empire in North America

But, the Pitt’s “blank check” greatly enlarged England’s debt

Britain’s contempt for the colonials created bitter feelings

As a result, English leaders felt that a major reorganization of its American empire was necessary!

The 1760s were an affluent & optimistic “post-war” period: The French & Indian War united the

colonists against a common enemy for the 1st time

Most colonists considered themselves proud members of England’s empire with little (if any) thought of independence

After the Seven Years War, everyone expected George to remove British army from America (French were no longer a threat)

But…this large, expensive army was not removed British citizens were not happy because

they had to pay for it Colonists doubted the army’s ability to

defend against Indians

Backcountry natives banded together to repel white frontier settlers during Pontiac’s WarPontiac’s War: Indian successes exposed the British

army’s weakness Attacks revealed desperation of Native

Americans after the withdrawal of their French allies

Colonials took matters into their own hands (Paxton Boys in PA)

English colonists flooded across the Appalachian Mountains:

“There’s all this land & no French!!”

Fort Detroit

Chief Pontiac led the Ottawa & other tribes against colonists due to: The flood of colonists into Ohio Country British “gifts” of smallpox-infected blankets from Fort Pitt

Retaliatory attacks by frontier colonists (like the Paxton Boys in Pennsylvania) were common

In response to Pontiac’s War, the British government established the Proclamation Line of 1763Proclamation Line of 1763: This law forbade colonists from settling

across the Appalachian Mountains (for their own protection)

Americans viewed the line as an obstruction to their “legitimate economic development”

The introduction of Parliamentary sovereignty contradicted England’s original policy of salutary neglect The influx of new political ideas of

the European Enlightenment began to impact colonial thought (especially those of John Locke)

While no colonists were thinking of independence by 1763, many became committed to “natural rights” & opposed to “tyranny”

All gov’ts are susceptible to corruption, tyranny, & intrusion upon citizens’ liberty

“Virtuous” citizens must fight tyranny

Despite the mounting tensions between the English government & American colonists by 1763, most Americans were loyal “brothers” to England due to: a shared British culture dependence upon British consumer

goods shared nationalism after British military

victories against France