Page 39 - Beers With Our Founding Fathers
P. 39
A Patriot’s view of the history and direction of our Country
war was being soundly won by England. By 1760 England controlled
the explored northern territories and colonies. Not until the Treaty
of Paris, in 1763 (not the second Treaty of Paris, of 1783 – ending
our American War for Independence), were the French and Indian
War in North America, and the Seven Years War in Europe, over.
Under the conditions of the treaty, France surrendered its territories
to England (northern) and Spain (southern). There were other gains
and losses between England and Spain, most notably Florida to
England and Cuba and French Louisiana to Spain. It is also
important to note that England permitted its new subjects to
practice Catholicism.
The French and Indian War had additional consequences: 1)
increased self-sufficiency of the colonists; 2) increased animosity of
the native Indians towards England; and 3) a blow to France and
their empire that would not be forgotten. More consequential to
the colonies, the cost of the war in the colonies was a blow to the
coffers of England. Who better to pay for the war England wanted,
than the colonists?
From the end of the French and Indian War through 1775,
several key actions of England and related events took place that
shaped the road to independence. It can be said that travel down
this road began in 1763 with the first Treaty of Paris, and ended in
1783 with the second Treaty of Paris.
Proclamation of 1763 – This dispelled plans and hopes of
the colonists to expand into the newly acquired, formerly
French, territories. In addition, there was growing hostility
and distrust between the native Indians and colonists. This
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