by Frances Stanford

Created on: June 08, 2009

The French and Indian War from 1754 to 1763 was instrumental in determining the ownership of North America. Prior to the start of the war there were two distinct nations on the continent - British North America and New France. Following the Treaty of Paris in 1763, France no longer had any claim to its former holdings and the only French presence in North America was that of the two tiny islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon off the east coast, just south of the colony of Newfoundland.

The removal of the French from Canada brought an end to the need the American colonies had for the protection of the British forces against French military threats from the north. The end of the war also removed a variety of pressures and conflicts that prompted a thorough evaluation of the imperial system. During the war the British government felt that the residents of the Thirteen Colonies should be paying a portion of the defence costs. The assemblies of the colonies refused to send any militiamen north to fight in Canada and also took advantage of the situation to increase their powers. These tactics made the colonists appear ungrateful and opportunistic to the British.

The merchants in the Thirteen Colonies also engaged in what the British looked upon as acts bordering on treason. They smuggled French goods into the colonies and made a profit selling food to the French armies. British patriots who attempted to interfere with these actions were attacked by mobs of colonists. A writ to declare such acts as treason in 1761 was deemed to be against the fundamental principles of law by John Adams and this was the first hint of any thought of independence for the colonies.

At the end of the war, the British government had a pressing financial problem that demanded attention. The national debt during the war had increased from 75 million pounds in 1754 to 133 million pounds by 1763. This debt occurred largely as a result of military expenses and the American colonies had been reimbursed for more than a million pounds for war-related expenses. Therefore, it was unlikely that the British would continue to pay the peace time defence costs of the colonies.

However, there were still 10,000 British troops in the colonies and monies needed to be raised to pay these expenses. Many of the British leaders believed there was no other way of obtaining the needed funds than to tax the colonists, even though they knew it would lead to a political confrontation.

As a result of the French and Indian War, Americans developed a different view of themselves as being apart from the British. During the war, colonial assemblies had worked together in the Albany Congress to come up with solutions for common problems. The presence and attitude of the aristocratic British officers had also shocked and insulted the colonists.

When it became apparent that British troops were to remain, the colonists became very apprehensive about the future. They believed that the presence of a standing army was a threat to their liberty and to representative government. As the British demanded and enforced imperial reform, their fears increased. The imposition of direct taxes as a result of the war was the final straw for the colonists who saw no other recourse than to secure independence from Great Britain.

Therefore it can be said that the most important aftermath of the French and Indian War was the development of an independent spirit in the colonies that eventually led to rebellion against the taxes and policies of the British government. Over the course of the next decade, conditions would become right for the American Revolution.

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