Causes Of The French And Indian War Essay

The French and Indian War was caused by land disputes between the British colonists and the French over the Ohio River Valley region. The French and British were both claiming the same territory as their own. After Britain’s victory, a policy they enforced prior to the war called salutary neglect, which avoided strict enforcement of parliamentary laws to keep American colonies obedient to Great Britain, ended. However, following the war, the British began heavily taxing the colonists because of debt, putting various acts such as the Stamp and Tea Act into effect and the Proclamation of 1763, which was implemented by King George. Therefore, the French and Indian War created negligent relations among the colonists and Great Britain and tensions …show more content…
Before the war, colonies could acquire land somewhat freely, by buying it from the Native Americans or just taking it by force. This rabid land grabbing initiated the first conflicts. In 1763, Britain wished to prevent previous hostilities from occurring again and maintain good relations with the Native Americans. This resulted in the Proclamation of 1763, a document issued by King George that prevented colonial settlement west of an imaginary line drawn in the Appalachian Mountains. It made it illegal for colonists to move further west, giving the Native Americans the land they desired. However, the Proclamation didn’t work as intended. Colonists continued to freely settle beyond the proclamation line, desiring better farmland or simply wanting to defy Britain’s orders. They believed it was another infringement of their basic rights. Despite the colonists neglect of orders, the Proclamation did indicate a substantial change in colonial relations. Britain was attempting to take more direct control over its colonies and spread their growth and economic power. The Proclamation of 1763 being ignored represented the colonists attitude toward their mother country and their rejection of its