The French and Indian War was the last of the four American wars waged from 1689 to 1763 between the British and the French. In all of these wars, each country fought for the control of the continent with the assistance of Native Americans and Colonist Allies. (Axtell 97) This final war determined that English rather than French ideas and institutions would dominate North America. In winning the war, the British government doubled its territory and national debt. (Axtell 101) The war also gave the colonists their first taste of economic, and social freedom from England. The combination of these factors precipitated the American revolution.

The French and Indian war signaled a great change in English colonial policy. Before, colonies were valued primarily as sources of raw materials. Now, because of the Industrial Revolution they were considered more valuable as potential markets for English manufactured goods. (Axtell 187) "This shift of economic emphasis was accompanied by a program of administrative reform designed to reinforce and intensify English military and economic control of its colonies" (Axtell 190).

To Americans, the main result of the war was that with Can

the British wanted to stifle this economic growth. They wanted the colonists to go back to how they were treated before the war. Being told what products to produce, when and where they could be produced and to whom they could be sold to. (MacLeod 184) The colonists however had another

feel that England was mistreating them and independence was an option now open for them" (Leach 110).

"A mutual dislike and distrust developed; which hurt relations during and long after the French and Indian War" (Jennings 47). The English were furious that the colonial assemblies refused to vote for the supplies needed and even when passed only gave a small amount of financial aid. One British General described the colonial troops as "unenthusiastic about fighting and in general the dirtiest, most contemptible cowardly boys that your could possibly conceive" (Curwen, March 1745). The British pointed to another sign of the American treachery stating "Americans continued to trade with the enemy throughout the war and even bragged of their profiting from these ventures" (Jennings 52).

ada and Florida now under English control, the mainland colonies were not longer in danger from attack by either France or Spain. (Leach 109) The American colonists no longer, therefore, felt they needed the English military for protection. "Thoughts of independence did not enter into the minds of most Americans, but Americans did begin to

The French and Indian War had more than just psychological results, however. The colonies had "matured and politically developed a spirit of self-confidence" (Morris 246). This new spirit can be seen especially near the end of the war. For example, in 1761, several Boston merchants challenged

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Approximate Word count = 1914
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)