How the French and Indian War Lead to the American Revolution

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After the fall of Puritan rule in Massachusetts, Great Britain regained control over Massachusetts and expanded throughout North America, making it one of the greatest empires in the world. In order to maintain their power in the colonies they enacted rules and regulations regarding traded goods. However, most colonists resorted to smuggling and boycotting items. It was not until the French and Indian War did England begin to strictly enforce these restrictions due to a large war debt. The Sugar Act was one the first acts that had started a domino effect which led to the American Revolution. The French and Indian War mounted when conflicts arose between the French and the British as the English colonists started to settle in 1689 in New France, modern day Canada. This push for settlement greatly increased the population in 1750, from 250,000 to 1.25 million. Great Britain had demanded to collect commodities such as turpentine, copper, tar, and hemp from settlers. In order to fund for the war, England manufactured these goods and then raised the price, and sold them back to the colonists under the the Navigation Acts. The Acts were used to prevent smuggling by allowing the colonies to only trade with England, however, Parliament did not strictly enforce them until 1750, which allowed Great Britain to set tariffs for goods however they pleased. According to ushistory.com, “The colonies were wholly interested in overcoming the French in North America and appealed to the King for permission to raise armies and monies to defend themselves.” They wanted protection from their mother country, which they had a right to do. Yet the King was insecure to grant them the money for the war because he was afraid they would revolt against the Bri... ... middle of paper ... ... denied their natural born rights “with taxation without representation.” Parliament had exercised “virtual representation” when it came to the Americans. In Parliament there was recognition of the colonies issues at hand, however, no one was there to represent them. The two provisions of the Sugar Act attracted the most colonial opposition. In 1764 the Massachusetts House of Representatives resolved that the colonists had not consented to these taxes. A year after the Sugar Act was passed the Stamp Act was enacted, this started a pattern of even more Acts being created to tax the colonies over the course of the next 10 years. In the summer of 1765, the Sons of Liberty, the driving force to free the colonies from ties with Great Britain, organized. The American colonies were now on the brink of war with Great Britain questioning the tyrannical rule of King George II.

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