Britain’s treatment of its colonies in the aftermath of the French and Indian War was hardly fair. Although Britain conquered significant parts of the French territory, eliminating French influence from North America, the economic consequences of this victory led to increased pressure on the Thirteen Colonies, ultimately provoking the War of Independence. The British Crown attempted to recoup its economic losses by increasing taxation and control on its colonies. The Townshend Acts, for instance, imposed additional taxes on goods and put significant limitations on the Colonies’ ability for self-governance (History.com Editors, 2020a). These Acts led to increasing tensions and violent conflicts between the Colonies and Britain. Although they were mostly repealed in 1770, the colonists continued to oppose the Crown’s efforts to increase its control. This sparked the Boston Tea Party in 1773, followed by the Coercive Acts (History.com Editors, 2020b). Ultimately, the colonists were not willing to accept such strengthening of British power.
The reasons for the British Crown’s actions towards the Colonies are understandable: it had to raise funds for the War’s aftermath. However, the methods it employed were unfair, especially treating its colonies as a source of resources and attempting to strengthen its budget at their expense. Simultaneously, its attempts to directly control the Colonies’ political process and limit their development provoked a significant negative response. The heightened tensions at the time were likely unavoidable; however, they might have been defused if the Crown had limited its actions on enforcing taxes instead of attempting to control the Colonies directly. Comparing the situation to parenting, this is similar to a parent taking the salary from their teenage child’s first job while also preventing the child from making decisions or moving out.
References
History.com Editors (2020a). Townshend Acts. History. Web.
History.com Editors (2020b). British Parliament adopts the Coercive Acts in response to the Boston Tea Party. History. Web.