“The Revolution was effected
before the war commenced.
The Revolution was in
the hearts and minds of
the people.”
Former President John Adams, 1818
Throughout the 18th century, the spread the costs of empire more eq-
maturing British North American uitably, and speak to the interests of
colonies inevitably forged a distinct both French Canadians and North
identity . They grew vastly in eco- American Indians . The colonies, on
nomic strength and cultural attain- the other hand, long accustomed to
ment; virtually all had long years a large measure of independence, ex-
of self-government behind them . pected more, not less, freedom . And,
In the 1760s their combined pop- with the French menace eliminated,
ulation exceeded 1,500,000 — a they felt far less need for a strong
six-fold increase since 1700 . None- British presence . A scarcely compre-
theless, England and America did hending Crown and Parliament on
not begin an overt parting of ways the other side of the Atlantic found
until 1763, more than a century itself contending with colonists
and a half after the founding of the trained in self-government and im-
first permanent settlement at James- patient with interference .
town, Virginia .
The organization of Canada
and of the Ohio Valley necessitated
A NEW COLONIAL SYSTEM
policies that would not alienate the
I
French and Indian inhabitants . Here
n the aftermath of the French and London was in fundamental conflict
Indian War, London saw a need for with the interests of the colonies .
a new imperial design that would Fast increasing in population, and
involve more centralized control, needing more land for settlement,
52
OUTLINE OF U.S. HISTORY
they claimed the right to extend ses from all sources and levied taxes
their boundaries as far west as the on wines, silks, coffee, and a num-
Mississippi River .
ber of other luxury items . The hope
The British government, fear- was that lowering the duty on mo-
ing a series of Indian wars, believed lasses would reduce the temptation
that the lands should be opened on to smuggle the commodity from the
a more gradual basis . Restricting Dutch and French West Indies for
movement was also a way of ensur- the rum distilleries of New England .
ing royal control over existing settle- The British government enforced the
ments before allowing the formation Sugar Act energetically . Customs of-
of new ones . The Royal Proclama- ficials were ordered to show more
tion of 1763 reserved all the west- effectiveness . British warships in
ern territory between the Allegheny American waters were instructed to
Mountains, Florida, the Mississippi seize smugglers, and “writs of assis-
River, and Quebec for use by Na- tance,” or warrants, authorized the
tive Americans . Thus the Crown at- king’s officers to search suspected
tempted to sweep away every western premises .
land claim of the 13 colonies and to
Both the duty imposed by the Sug-
stop westward expansion . Although ar Act and the measures to enforce
never effectively enforced, this mea- it caused consternation among New
sure, in the eyes of the colonists, con- England merchants . They contended
stituted a high-handed disregard of that payment of even the small duty
their fundamental right to occupy imposed would be ruinous to their
and settle western lands .
businesses . Merchants, legislatures,
More serious in its repercus- and town meetings protested the law .
sions was the new British revenue Colonial lawyers protested “taxation
policy . London needed more money without representation,” a slogan
to support its growing empire and that was to persuade many Ameri-
faced growing taxpayer discontent at cans they were being oppressed by
home . It seemed reasonable enough the mother country .
that the colonies should pay for their
Later in 1764, Parliament enact-
own defense . That would involve new ed a Currency Act “to prevent pa-
taxes, levied by Parliament — at the per bills of credit hereafter issued in
expense of colonial self-government . any of His Majesty’s colonies from
The first step was the replacement being made legal tender .” Since the
of the Molasses Act of 1733, which colonies were a deficit trade area and
placed a prohibitive duty, or tax, were constantly short of hard cur-
on the import of rum and molas- rency, this measure added a serious
ses from non-English areas, with the burden to the colonial economy .
Sugar Act of 1764 . This act outlawed Equally objectionable from the co-
the importation of foreign rum; it lonial viewpoint was the Quartering
also put a modest duty on molas- Act, passed in 1765, which required
53