The Road to Freedom

In 1763, Britain prevailed in the Seven Years War. The smell of victory was sweet for Britain and even for the colonies, but it did not last for long. In 1764, the cost of colonial government had exploded from an easy 70,000 pounds a year to an enormous 350,000 pounds a year. Paying for colonial government was a challenge, but it did not compare to the 130 million pound debt that Britain had also acquired during the Seven Years War. There were certain ways of dealing with these money problems that Britain could do to help the cause. Cost cutting and slashing budgets were both partial solutions, but alone could mend the wounds of Britain's financial problems. Britain was on the verge of bankruptcy, and it seemed like there was no one to turn to for help. George Grenville appeared, and he was appointed the first lord of treasury. His job was to reorganize the government finance. Grenville did not fancy colonials, and he realized that they paid few taxes compared to those of a British citizen. Grenville decided that Britain was going to become much more actively involved with the colonies because the colonies needed to help Britain pay off its debt. After all, the colonies were subordinate to the King and owed their well being to Britain.

The relationship amongst the colonies from 1763 to 1776 was tattered due to how Britain was ruling them. The majority of the colonists were upset because they were being virtually represented by Britain. Virtual representation was a policy instituted by Britain under which Britain believed that they could rule America even though Britain had no representatives residing in America. The colonies believed that if they wanted to maintain rule over the colonies, then the British representatives needed to live in America. The colonists also believed that taxation without representation was unfair. The colonists felt that they shouldn't have to pay taxes made by someone who didn't live in their surroundings, or have the same circumstances. Taxation without representation enabled Britain to have full control over the colonies and the ability to tax them without being present in the colonies at all. Taxation without representation fueled the anger of the colonies starting in 1763, and all the way until independence.

In addition to taxation without representation, many ridiculous acts were passed and enforced by Britain for the colonies. The stamp act demanded that many superfluous types of paper required the official seal on them. To put the official seal on paper was very expensive and unnecessary. The coercive acts (called the "intolerable acts" by the colonials) were unjust because Britain closed the Boston port until the city of Boston paid for all of the tea