The proclamation of 1763: Britain's approach to governing in the new world.

• Author: Munro, Ken

The Royal Proclamation of 1763 resulted directly from the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) between Britain and France. This conflict was in the nature of a world war with fighting principally in North America, the Caribbean, and India. With the Treaty of Paris of 1763 which ended the hostilities, Britain emerged victorious and a world power. However, Britain's dominance in North America created new problems for her which she unsuccessfully attempted to solve through the Royal Proclamation of 1763.

During this war, General James Wolfe defeated the French General, the Marquis de Montcalm, on the Plains of Abraham in 1759 and the British completed the submission of New France with the capitulation of Montreal in 1760. However, the war continued in the Caribbean and India. Consequently, there was a hiatus between the fall of New France and the peace conference which settled the conflict. Thus, until this "world war" ended, Britain established a military government of occupation to rule over her newly acquired territories in North America, since she was uncertain whether she would retain these lands at the peace conference at the war's end. The British military regime did not ensure peace in the region.

In the North American theatre of war, both the British and French had been supported by aboriginal allies. With the defeat of the French, the First Nations lost their bargaining position between the two European rivals. The allies of the British had been promised better deals in trade after the war, but instead, British traders raised their prices and displayed less interest in curbing liquor sales. In addition, the British immediately cut off "gift" distributions when trading for furs. The British no longer saw the practice as necessary because they had gained a monopoly in the fur trade and generally regarded the practice of "gift" distribution as bribery. The aboriginal peoples saw the gift-giving ceremonies differently. They regarded them as a renewal of the alliance between the two nations--the British and the particular Aboriginal nation in question--and the price by which the First Nations allowed the British to use their lands. Also, the First Nations had come to rely on the guns and ammunition which formed part of these trading sessions. In addition, although Article 40 of the capitulation of the French at Montreal guaranteed, especially Britain's allies, protection for the lands they inhabited, Britain's military regime and the British...