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Revolution and Republican Culture 1754-1800 (180-186)

The Great War for Empire (1756–1763) transformed British control over North America, leading to increased tensions between Britain and the colonies due to ideological divides over governance and identity. The war's financial burdens prompted Britain to impose taxes and reforms, such as the Currency Act and Sugar Act, which angered colonists and challenged their autonomy. British authority weakened as colonial assemblies defied royal control, setting the stage for future conflicts over imperial authority and self-governance.

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32 views2 pages

Revolution and Republican Culture 1754-1800 (180-186)

The Great War for Empire (1756–1763) transformed British control over North America, leading to increased tensions between Britain and the colonies due to ideological divides over governance and identity. The war's financial burdens prompted Britain to impose taxes and reforms, such as the Currency Act and Sugar Act, which angered colonists and challenged their autonomy. British authority weakened as colonial assemblies defied royal control, setting the stage for future conflicts over imperial authority and self-governance.

Uploaded by

dragonstorm449
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Revolution and Republican Culture 1754–1800 (180-186)

Impact of the Great War for Empire (1756–1763)

 The war, known in the colonies as the French and Indian War, reshaped
Britain’s control over North America.
 Britain could no longer allow colonial self-governance and limited
oversight, the empire expanded too far inland.
 Britain’s new empire now included large non-English populations —
French, Dutch, German, African, and Native American peoples.
 British administrators viewed Americans as “foreigners,” leading to
distrust.
 Colonists like John Dickinson argued that they were British subjects
born to liberty, not colonial subjects to be ruled harshly.
 This ideological divide set the stage for future conflicts over identity,
liberty, and imperial authority.

The Costs of Empire

 War debt skyrocketed from £75 million to £133 million; interest


consumed 60% of Britain’s budget.
 The per capita tax burden reached 20% of income, primarily through
excise taxes on common goods (salt, beer, bricks, candles, paper).
 The government increasingly relied on bondholders and financiers,
angering the Radical Whigs and Country Party, who feared “monied
interests.”
 Reformers demanded that Parliament better represent property-
owning citizens rather than wealthy elites.

Weakness of British Authority in the Colonies

 Colonial assemblies repeatedly defied royal governors and generals


during the war.
 Smuggling and tax evasion were rampant; customs officials were often
bribed or absent.
 Parliament passed the Revenue Act of 1762, requiring customs officers
to work in the colonies directly.
 The Royal Navy was ordered to seize American ships trading with
French islands — Britain wanted to stop colonies from supplying its
enemies
Peacetime Military Presence in North America

 Postwar, Britain stationed 7,500 troops (15 battalions) in North


America to:
o Maintain control over new territories (especially Canada and
Florida).
o Enforce the Proclamation of 1763, limiting settlement west of the
Appalachians.
o Manage relations with Native tribes and French residents in
Quebec.
 The cost of maintaining troops (£225,000 per year) was expected to be
paid by the colonies.
 British policymakers concluded that North America must bear the costs
of its own defense.

George Grenville and the Reform Impulse

 George Grenville, Chancellor of the Exchequer, sought to reform


imperial administration and revenue.
 Believed colonies must contribute to the cost of empire and obey
imperial laws.

Currency Act (1764)

 Banned the use of colonial paper money as legal tender.


 Prevented colonists from repaying debts with depreciated currency.
 Benefited British merchants but hurt colonial farmers, shopkeepers,
and planters, who relied on local paper money.

The Sugar Act (1764) (preview)

 Grenville’s next major reform, replacing the ineffective Molasses Act of


1733.
 Intended to raise revenue for empire maintenance rather than merely
regulate trade.
 Signaled a major shift from salutary neglect to active imperial
enforcement.

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