British Policy from 1763 to 1774
Between the years of 1763 and 1774 there was a great change between Britain and the American colonies. Victory in the Seven Years War made Britain the master of a large domain, but victory was painfully costly; the British government began struggling after 1763 to coerce the American colonists to take some of the financial costs of the empire. However, after the Indian and French war, the colonists started viewing themselves as independent. This was a direct reaction to British policies and helped contribute to the resistance, rebellion, and revolution.
The Proclamation Act of 1763 was the first in a series of immediate and direct events that eventually destroyed all dependence Americans had on England. Some of the terms of the treaty were: no settlers were allowed to cross the Appalachian divide, settlement in the Ohio Valley was forbidden, trappers, traders, and settlers were only allowed in with a license from the crown stating their reasons for being in those areas, and the purchase of Indian land was forbidden. This frustrated the colonists. Even Colonel Washington referred to the proclamation as “a temporary expedient to quiet the minds of Indians.” Naturally, this stirred the feelings of the colonists and caused them to take notice of the violations the British were imposing on their rights as individuals.
The Sugar Act of 1764 was a tax law imposed on by the British. It placed taxes on sugar goods imported into the states. Even though some Americans professed allegiance to England, not many would gladly open their wallets to the mother land without some advantage for themselves. Eventually the agitation of the colonists died down, but resentment was kept burning. Then in 1765 Greenville imposed the Stamp Act. This was imposed because Parliament needed money to help fund the costs of keeping British troops inside the colonies. This meant that no one could sell their everyday printing materials, newspapers,...