Analysis of The Scratch of a Pen by Colin Calloway - Book Report/Review Example

SCRATCH OF A PEN The Scratch of a Pen The paper discuses the great world war, fought on three oceans and four continents around the globe. Today thatwar is still known as the French and Indian war or the Pontiac’s war. The war was launched in 1763 by Native American tribes from Illinois, Ohio, and the great lakes region. 1. This war was as a result of dissatisfaction of these Native American tribes on the British policies in the great lakes region. After the British victory, they formulated policies to govern the Great Lakes region. According to2, the result of this war was an agony of suffering and a loss for millions of people. The Treaty of Paris in 1763 ended the seven years world war and nine years of French and Indian war. The Peace of Paris treaty was signed by Britain, Spain, and France, the superpowers of the time. Young King George 111 of Britain, old King Louis XV of France together with their chief ministers and negotiators argued for months over the fate of the few small islands. Then, with a “scratch of a pen” they casually disposed the continents. This peace agreement was welcomed everywhere more so in North America where the French Indian war lasted for nine years. The treaty eliminated the New France as an armed forces threat to the British colonists. This initiated the march towards the American independence. The national debt of the Great Britain doubled after the conflict due to the decision of the British Prime Minister William Pitt, to retain numerous troops in the American colonies. An aim of raising revenues led to the formulation and enforcement of the Navigation Acts by the British Parliament. The Acts listed commodities that could only be shipped within the English empire. These Acts led to an increase in smuggling and Britain’s effort to make the colonists abide by the shipping laws generated little revenue3. After realizing this, Britain took another route to force the colonists to pay for services of the British army operating in America. George Grenville the successor of Pitt forced the passage of the Sugar Act/Revenue Act that placed tariffs on wine, coffee, sugar, and other items. Colonists did not abide with the act hence they refused to pay tax, and the smuggling of goods continued. The Sugar Act generated inadequate funds. The Stamp Act was formulated that imposed taxes on all printed materials. Americans argued that Stamp Act is a direct tax being paid directly to England than the American legislatures. There was suspicion among colonists out of building up of British troops in America. Numerous patriots believed that the British authorities planned to use the military against Americans to enforce the Navigation Acts and collection of taxes. The enforcement of Stamp Act among other Acts resulted to violence where homes of stamp distributors were vandalized4. The trade between England and America reduced, and England’s business people appealed the government to repeal the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act was repealed, and Americans celebrated their victory against England, but their triumph was short-lived. British authorities continued to impose levies and taxes in America. The resistance from colonists and British formulated many laws to curb resistance of British laws so as to dominate America. The fight between the British colonists and the British authorities led to the American Revolution. The revolution generated fundamental changes in the opinions, principles and sentiments of the Americans. New issues and ideas affected political ideals, social customs, racial and gender roles as the thirteen colonies developed into the America. Conflict and debate over the government authority, federal control of western territories, diverse state economies, and the new republic’s relationship with other countries transformed the political culture of America. During the American Revolution, patriot victory at Saratoga changed the line of the war. It convinced France to give the colonists essential foreign aid. The French authorities secretly sent military supplies to America. This was not as a result of sympathy but as a reprisal against Great Britain for France’s defeat in the French and Indian war. In order to keep their support confidential France used a fake supply company to transport arms to America. The Americans cause of liberty and freedom was familiar with many in France. Forward-thinking leaders of France, Jean Jaqcues Rousseau and Baron de Montesquieu led to the Enlightenment in France. In 1778, the Americans and French signed two treaties. The first treaty was the Treaty of Amity and Commerce; the treaty aimed to strengthen the trade between America and France. The second was a Treaty of Alliance; contained numerous stipulations. The first stipulation was that, if France did not join the war, Neither America or France would end the fight until America gains its independence. Second, neither America nor France would conclude signing of a peace agreement with Britain without the consent of the two countries. Lastly, both countries were responsible for guaranteeing the possessions of others in America against all other authorities5. In 1783, the British citizens were tired of the war in America’s colonies. The British economy experienced large national debt, and suffered immense losses in Asia, India, Africa, and the West Indies. The Continental Congress appointed three American peace negotiators; continental congress gave explicit instructions to their representatives of consulting French allies before signing any peace agreement. According to6, the peacemaking process was complicated by the fact that France and America had agreed to make peace together, France was a Spain ally but America was not. French was bound to help Spain which was still in war to recover Gibraltar from England. America on the other hand was bound by its alliance to continue fighting until New France made peace. The current democratic government of the United States can be derived from the intense impact of colonial thinking and from Enlightenment from French leaders. The current relationship on international matters especially between United States of America, United Kingdom, and Canada (New France) can be traced from the relations during and after the Pontiac’s war. In Conclusion, Most of the current laws of America were formulated with an aim of reducing government powers; this was done by dividing government functions into different branches. These branches possessed only the power necessary to carry out its function. Americans believed that a government with more power would be tempted to exercise its authority to control citizens. The current trade relations between United Kingdom, United States of America, and Canada, also emerged out of the relationship before, during and after the Pontiac’s war. The Pontiac’s war therefore, had an immense impact on the political, social, cultural principles and ideologies in these countries7. Bibliography Colin Calloway, The Scratch of a Pen: 1763 and the Transformation of North America. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Francis D. Cogliano, Revolutionary America, 1763-1815: A Political History. U.S.A: Taylor & Francis, 2008. Charles E. Pederson, The French & Indian War. New York: ABDO Publishing, 2010. Read More