Based on Source A, explain how land, trade, and migration were sources of conflict between the colonists and Native Americans during the French and Indian War? Source A: Unit 1 Skill Source A
The British victory opened new territory for exploration and expansion, but it also brought the
responsibility for overseeing three troublesome groups. The first were thousands of resentful
former French subjects. French settlements remained in Canada…To keep the settlements
under control the British maintained a close watch and employed harsh tactics to quell
rebellion.
France’s Native American allies were Britain’s second problem. With Britain’s victory in the
French and Indian War, the Indian supporters of the French were now in a precarious position.
The French were no longer able to back their Indian allies, which left tribes such as the Huron
out of an increasingly British-dominated power and trade network. While the French tended to
develop trade and mission connections with local tribes, the British colonial authorities were
much more inclined to remove indigenous peoples altogether and clear the land for white
settlement. Some tribes feared that the arrival of British colonists would result in their eventual
removal from their lands.
With the colonists marching onto his people’s land, Chief Pontiac of the Algonquian-speaking
Ottawa tribe led a bloody rebellion that resulted in the death of thousands of soldiers and
settlers. The British regained the upper hand, but nonetheless realized the need to live
peacefully with the Indians to prevent further turmoil.
The third troublesome group was, ironically, the British colonists, who were beginning to test
the boundaries of Britain’s rule and were becoming increasingly aggressive toward the natives.
To maintain the situation until a peaceful resolution could be reached, London’s government
issued the Proclamation of 1763, which called for a halt to westward expansion beyond the
Appalachians. First, the Britons hoped to keep the colonists tied more closely to English colonial
authorities by confining them to the coast. Second, the War had put England in dire financial
straits, and keeping colonists east of the Appalachians would facilitate the collection of taxes
and allow England to refill its treasuries.
The Proclamation of 1763 enraged the colonists, who felt they had earned the right to
expansion by risking their lives in settling in North America. They openly defied British rule and
rushed westward, creating new settlements, facing new challenges, and becoming more selfreliant. Colonists in New England also resented having to quarter British troops in their homes
during the war. Moreover, Britain’s attempts to tax the colonists to pay for Britain’s wartime
support angered the colonists.
In addition, Britain’s authoritarian rule over Canada brought deep concerns to the settlers. The
loss of liberties in Canada, such as the right to trial by jury, raised fears among colonists that the
Crown might impose a similar rule in New England.
To the colonists the war was one of the first signs that they were not just transplanted
Englishmen. They were a society with their own traditions, customs, and identity that was
increasingly distinct from the mother country. They also had realized they had the resources to
handle some of their own affairs without looking to Britain for support. At one time, the British
government was an important source of support and protection for the colonies. Increasingly,
the British government was perceived as a nuisance whose demands for taxes became symbolic
of an increasingly irrelevant colonial authority.