Relationship Between Britain And American Colonies

Relationship Between Britain And American Coloniesrelati

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRITAIN AMERICAN COLONIES 3 Relationship between Britain and American Colonies 1763 to 1775 Name of Student Institutional Affiliation Relationship between Britain and American Colonies 1763 to 1775 Introduction 1763 marked an important turning point in the relationship between Britain and American colonies that had been hitherto viewed as cordial and mutually beneficial. Some events that had occurred prior 1763 had significantly changed political and economic interests of both parties. The difference between Britain and her American colonies culminated in the American Revolution that began in 1775 (York Town Victory Center, 2017). In essence, the period between 1763 and 1775 is historically significant to the American nation because it resulted in revolts that would see American eventually gain independence.

Changing Relationship Before 1763, the relationship between Britain and American colonies was viewed as mutually beneficial. The end of the Seven Years' War between Great Britain and France as they fought for dominance in North America caused both sides to rethink their position in their long relationship. The colonies developed a sense of self-sufficiency and therefore saw no need to keep relying on Britain for protection. The Pontiac Rebellion that occurred in May of 1763 exposed the inability of Britain to adequately protect American settlers from attacks by Indian tribes (Allison, 2015). Allison adds that in October 1763, King George III issued a declaration that sought to control the acquisition of land by settlers.

As a way of settling the massive debt that had been accrued during the war, Britain decided to increase taxation on the colonies. In essence, 1763 saw the emergence of some political and economic differences that thawed the relationship between American colonies and Britain. The policy and expectations of both parties had shifted. For instance, American colonies expected protection from Britain. However, after the Pontiac Rebellion settlers realized that Britain was not able to defend them effectively.

On the other hand, Britain had expected immigrants to offer assistance in settling the huge debts resulting from the Seven Years War with France. Some legislations, passed by the British Parliament, under Prime Minister George Grenville, sought to increase revenue from the colonies. For instance, the Sugar Act of 1764 was meant to collect taxes from dealers in molasses and reduce smuggling forcefully. The Stamp Act required made it necessary for certificates and publications to carry British Stamp while the Currency Act prohibited payment of debts using money printed by the colonies (Allison, 2015). Settlers viewed these Acts as unfair.

On the other hand, Britain considered the legislations justified because of the protection they had given the colonies hitherto. In response to increased taxation, some colonies began to protest against Britain. For instance, in Boston businesspeople refused to purchase goods made from Britain. Also, the parliament in Virginia passed legislation that made it illegal for Britain to impose taxations on its citizens in 1765. In response to these protests, the British Parliament passed the Declaratory Act in 1766 that gave it powers to pass legislations on all colonies in all situations.

These legal battles culminated to actual confrontations. An example was the Boston Massacre where British soldiers opened fire on an angry mob killing people in March 1770. By 1774, the communication between the colonies had increased in response to legislations that they saw as unfair (Allison, 2015). The common factor united the colonies preparing them for revolution. Conclusion In my opinion, the American Revolution was inevitable.

The interests, perceptions, and expectations of Britain and the American colonies had taken different routes. Britain viewed the colonies as her possession and moved to increase dominance for the economic and political benefit. On the other hand, the colonies saw the dominance as unnecessary and no longer considered Britain as her trading partner. The American colonies considered a revolution as the only way out.

References

• Allison, R. J. (2015). The American Revolution: A Very Short Introduction. New York, NY: Jones & Bartlett.
• York Town Victory Center. (2017). Road to Revolution. Retrieved September 15, 2017, from York Town Victory Center.