French and Indian War

The French and Indian was a turning point in the American Revolution, and involved various countries around the globe. Many changes in the political lifestyle helped changed the colonies immensely. America wanted its independence more than ever after events that sparked a great shift between the 13 colonies and its mother country. Economic affairs were increasing because of the war and the need for products that the Americans were able to produce. The idea of wanting its independence from Britain was forced upon them after the French and Indian War when Americans felt that they were receiving unfair treatment from Great Britain. The French and Indian War altered British and American relations by changing the colonist's beliefs in having the need for British control, and these events brought American colonies together for the first time politically. Economically, the British made relations harsh by enforcing things such as the Stamp Act which made many of the colonist's unhappy. The ideological viewpoint of the American colonist's drastically changed with the opposing viewpoints of the British.

American colonists questioned many of Britain's laws and beliefs after the French and Indian War. The war brought Britain into a deep debt. As recalled in the articles I read, the Stamp Act was enforced by the British, and was supposed to show that Britain and the Colonies would be unified. Using a little of my own knowledge I found that the British wanted to decrease their debt, and the Americans felt it was irrational. I found it to be quite ironic how the British helped train George Washington in the Military Profession during the French and Indian War because in later years he was one of the many significant people who helped change the colonies under British rule. Washington was young and hopeful when he sent a letter to General Edward Braddock (as expressed in Document C) hoping to attain knowledge from this British General. The laws that Great Britain wanted to enforce politically were at much opposition to the American colonists.

The economic control of the Colonies had lessened from British control after the war between the French and the Indians. First of all, Freedom of Press was being devoured by the British in an attempt to decrease their own debt. Document H shows emblems of death which most likely meant death to Freedom of Press, and other Freedoms the colonists wanted to be granted to them but couldn't because of things such as the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act was the first non-importation of British goods. English soldiers were not receiving the treatment that they felt was their right as explained in Document D. The British treated the colonists as though they were not worth the good food and liquor, and many colonists didn't want to fight for a country who was supposed to be their ally. Document F explained the British point of view after the war ended, and said how there was not a sufficient source of money being brought in. The British brought in many different types of taxation after that period in time. One of the many was known as the Townsend Act, which was a tax on colonial imports of lead, glass, paint, paper, and tea; resulting in second nonimportation act. The war by the French and the Indians drastically modified the economic power of the British over the American colonies.

During the period of 1754-1763