Question

Why was the French and Indian War considered a turning point in the relationship between the American colonies and England?

Answer 1

The French and Indian War created disrespect and anger between the colonists and the British.

Explanation:

The anger and disrespect that began with the French and Indian Wars would result in the American Revolution.

The British officers were all from the upper class, either wealthy or nobles. During the war the British treated the Colonists military with disrespect looking down on them. This caused resentment with the colonists. An example was George Washington was turned down in his request to become a British officer despite his abilities and service during the French and Indian wars.

At the same time the colonists learned to disrespect the British officers because of the mistakes that they made in the conduct of the war. An example is Braddock's failed attack on Pittsburgh causing huge casualties in both the British and American forces under his command. The British seemed unable to deal with the style of warfare fought by the French and Indians in the American forests.

After the war the British wanted the colonies to pay back England for the high cost of fighting the French and Indian wars. To do this the British imposed new and high taxes on the colonies. The Colonists resented bitterly these new taxes that they had no chance to vote on. The British insisted believing that the Colonies owed England the money for protecting the Colonies.

Then the British after taking over the lucrative fur trade from the French declared in 1763 that the American Colonist could no longer settled new lands west of the mountains. The British had made treaties with the Indian nations to secure the fur trade. These treaties promised that the British would protect the Indian Nations' land from encroachment from the Colonists. What the American Colonists wanted beyond all else was new land. The American Colonists deeply resented this law.

The French and Indian wars turned the British and the American Colonies into enemies and laid the ground work for the American Revolution.