Question

Describe the relationship between the English and the Colonists

Answer 1

After the French and Indian War, Great Britain had a lot more new land. Along with all of the new land, they also had a lot of new debts to pay off. They needed a way to pay off these debts in an easy and effective manner.

In order to pay off debts for the French and Indian War, Great Britain decided to tax the colonists. The Stamp Tax was put onto the colonists in 1765, which put taxes on printed materials like legal documents and newspapers. The colonists were not happy with this, they felt like they were being unfairly taxed. They had no representation in the British Parliament, also known as "taxation without representation." Great Britain felt as if the taxes were justified, as they were using troops to protect the colonists and the debt was a lot of money.

The colonists started to protest and boycott products that contained the tax, even sometimes becoming violent against British merchants. This eventually led Great Britain to repeal the tax, as British businesses and merchants started to decline.

The relationship between Great Britain and the colonists was not good. Unfair taxing such as the Stamp Act after the French and Indian War would lead the colonists to push for independence. The small acts between them would lead to the Revolutionary War.