Economic Relationship Between Colonists And England

The American Revolutionary war began in-part because of economic struggles England faced after securing safety for it’s colonies during the Seven Years War. England needed to increase their taxation on the colonists after the war to pay off its war debts. Prior to these taxes, the colonies were wholly content while under the wing of the British Empire. Not only because the protection the British provided, but also because of their deep reverence for the Motherland. Colonists were angered by with Parliament due to their lack of acknowledgement towards colonists rights and opinions. Colonists stood together in a defiant motion towards liberation from England’s tyrannous acts of lawless duplicity. Before British government was able to fully

“Despite the view of some historians that the conflict between Great Britain and its thirteen North American colonies was economic in origin, in fact the American Revolution had its roots in politics and other areas of American life.” Great Britain and the American colonies had a relationship impacted with many hardships. I believe that there was a political struggle between the two groups, but that Great Britain and the American colonies used economics as a chance to show how much control they had. Multiple Acts written by Parliament, the colonies' Committees of Correspondence and Continental Congress created political friction between Great Britain and the American colonies.

The British had sent more than 10,000 troops to North America by the end of the French and Indian War. The British felt like they had spent a great deal of money in protecting the American colonists. They were in debt around 140 million pounds. To pay off all of their debt the British decided to increase the enforcement of existing taxes on the Colonists and impose additional taxes. The British issued The Proclamation of 1763 which meant the colonists couldn’t cheat the Indians out of land. They also establish a border in where they could not buy land. This made the colonist mad because it made them feel like the British were interfering and trying to limit their economic growth.

Last of all, the ideological relations between Britain and the American colonies were altered because of the French and Indian War. The relationship between the American colonies and Britain is becoming more strained because the cost for the war (on Britain’s side) and the needs of the colonists. In Document D, a Massachusetts soldier writes in his diary about his regiment being treated poorly or “like slaves.” It was believed that once they completed their duty, they would be able to return home but this wasn’t the case. Therefore, doubt started to arise in the colonists. They began to question whether Britain was going to do what was best for them. Another way the colonists’ relationship with Britain was being strained was through the taxes that Britain imposed on the colonists after the war (Stamp Act). Benjamin Franklin, in Document G, writes to John Hughs encouraging him to play both sides; appease to the colonists but also stay loyal to the King until they can repeal the Stamp Act. This is just the beginning and the bottom line is that Britain feels like the colonists owe them after the war. The colonists aren’t happy with this as they were promised land that the Proclamation of

Since the government could not tax, they were in major financial trouble. They began to print continentals which were not backed by any commodities so they were worthless. The rest of the world meanwhile was waiting to see how Britain would react; so they were afraid to get too friendly with the colonists. The colonists though, knew that it was time to build up trade and trust with other countries. Eventually, their financial plans fell through, so France and the Netherlands made loans and were able to help keep the United States afloat.

By 1775 tensions between american and british colonies were at an all time high. Parliment had been passing laws placing taxes on the colonists in america. The sugar act in 1764, the stamp act, and a variety of other laws to steal money from the colonists for Greatritian had been passed and upset the colonists.

“…the revenue arising is very small and inconsiderable… and is not sufficient” (Doc F). The hard-won victory in the French and Indian War cost the British millions of pounds and created an enormous war debt. England’s burden of debt nearly doubled since 1754, from 73 million pounds to 137 million pounds. After considering their hardships, England felt it only right

The bonds between Great Britain and its colonies were strong, but after 1763, everything changed. The colonists first came to America for religious freedom and a chance to earn money, but as time passed, colonists lost touch with British viewpoints and customs. The differences between the two peoples set up the path to revolution. Economic, social, and political reasons all affected the bonds between the mother country and its colonies, shown through major events throughout 1600-1775. The primary economic cause was that taxes were released that restricted the colonists’ freedom, and was unfair to them. The main political reasons for freedom were different ideas of representation and opposing viewpoints. Finally, a crucial social factor was the effect of

The French and Indian War created a colossal amount of tensions between the colonists and the British in the 1700’s. When this war ended the British were so deep in debt that they actually started to tax the colonists since they never really asked the colonists for anything and they believed the colonists owed them for protecting them. The colonists were unhappy but the British were not done yet. The British also set many rules and laws into effect which angered the colonists beyond comprehension but many colonists still loved their old country and some truly did not car if they were independent or not independent from Britain. If it weren’t for Common Sense & The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine, the colonists would have either taken longer

This led to a wide range of issues that continued to add fuel to the fire of American colonist's rage toward Britain. One of the main issues that the American people were going through was having to pay an unfair amount of taxes to the king of Great Britain. Britain needed money to pay for its war debts. So, The King and Parliament came up with the idea to tax colonists. They believed that they had the right to tax the colonies. So, they decided to require several kinds of taxes from the colonists in order to help pay for the French and Indian War. When colonists began to realize that they were being singled out and Britain was just using them for their own benefit, they were angered and rightly so. There came a point when Colonists began to lose more and more money, money that they really needed and they became fed up. Not only was Britain using their money for their own benefit, but now colonists were losing quite a bit of money. And so the resistance began. This quickly became a huge issue. "Many colonists felt that they should not pay these taxes,because they were passed in England by Parliament. So, the colonists started to resist by boycotting, or not buying, British goods."

Tensions had been buliding up for many years with the colonists and the Britsh. The Britsh had enough and on the night of April 18. 1775 the Britsh went to Concord and Paul Revere alerted the cononists and then the Britsh were under fire. The cononsits were mad because Great Britan would tax them. The colonsits wouldnt pay for tea that was dumped overboard so King George III closed down the city’s harbor. This led to conflict between the the Britsh and conlonsits. Great Britan was mad because colonsits wouldnt pay taxes and the cononists were mad because they were getting taxed. The cononists were not scared of the strongest army (Great Britan) and did not back out.

The colonists were not always adversaries of England. During the English Civil war, in which England was fighting with France, the colonies were benefiting from England’s policy of salutary neglect. They were able to be independent without England scrutinizing them. However, all that changed when England lost money during the French and Indian war and started expecting the colonies to pay what they felt was their fair share.

Before the war had officially begun, England was in great debt from the seven years war. To pay off the debt the colonists were required to pay extra taxes to help in a war fought to protect them. Also, they were paying a smaller percentage of what citizens in England were paying. They had to only pay 25% of what the subjects in Britain were paying. That means that for every one hundred pounds that England paid, the colonists only had to pay twenty five. The king purposely did this knowing that the colonists in America didn’t have as much money as the English citizens.

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

The American and French Revolutions were profoundly motivated by economics. Prior to the Revolution, British colonies in America were thriving. Colonists paid fairly few taxes and were permitted to participate in domestic economic activity, granted they adhere to the Navigation Act, an act requiring, “that all trade within the empire be conducted on ships which were constructed, owned and largely manned by British citizens. Certain enumerated goods whether exported or imported by the colonies had to be shipped through England regardless of the final port of destination.” (Baack) Its mother country however, was not analogous. England’s debt had nearly doubled due to their victory over France during the 7 Year War and was frantically