Passed by Parliament in response to the Seven Years’ War, the Proclamation of 1763 prohibited settlement westward of the Appalachian Mountains. The Proclamation stated that the selling of Indian lands would be controlled by colonial governments, excluding private individuals. This edict was largely ignored, and highlighted the growing economic rift between the American colonies and Great Britain, as it severely reduced economic opportunities for lower- and middle-class colonists by denying them easy access to cheap land. This system benefited the British, as they continued to receive raw materials from the colonies through the mercantilist system, an economic practice whereby colonies provided their mother countries with materials, and received processed goods and often exclusive patronage in return. This system combined with the limitations imposed by the Proclamation of 1763 stunted American economic growth, keeping it from moving beyond the primary sector, and thus creating separate interests for the two groups.
The Sugar Act - 1764 …show more content…
The colonists saw the act not as a welcome reduction in taxes, but as an attempt to get them to pay a levy they would have otherwise evaded. This act correctly served to strengthen the perception in the colonies that British interests and American interests were no longer aligned. The British continued to support the act until 1766 at which point it was repealed due to mounting vocal opposition from the colonies, demonstrating an awareness on the part of the British of the precarious state of their control over the