The original 13 colonies of North America were settled by two groups of English people. One group, the Puritans, boarded the Mayflower and settled the northern colonies in the 1630’s. These Puritans called themselves Pilgrims, they sought religious freedom from England where their strict traditions were not accepted by the Monarchy.

Another group, the Cavaliers, were given permission from the Monarchy to settle the southern colonies in the early 1600’s.

In 1640 back in England the Puritans and the Cavaliers fought a Civil War. Interestingly enough when the 13 colonies became a country, the North, settled by Puritans, and the South, settled by Cavaliers, would also have a Civil War.

During the 1600-1700’s the 13 colonies were each separate territories that were loosely controlled by the Monarchy of England, which had unified Scotland and Ireland, and renamed itself Great Britain. The colonists paid taxes and bought refined British goods, such as furniture, fine clothes, tea, alcohol, and paper, such goods the colonists had no means of creating on their own. The colonists sold back to Great Britain, raw materials such as lumber, tobacco, and dye.

During the 1700’s France settled the upper reaches of North America in present day Canada. The French founded their own colony called Quebec. France and Britain were international rivals, competing to have the most colonies. In 1757 France and Britain went to war over North America, some European holdings, and India.

The war between France and Britain in North America was very different from what both sides were used to. First off, all troops, supplies, food, wagons, horses, and weapons had to be transported from the home country (France or Britain) to North America. This required fleets of sailing ships, lots of organization, and lots of money.

The 13 colonies did not want to fight in the war and preferred for Britain to use their own troops, the same went for the colonists of Quebec who also relied on their French troops.

The French and British had a hard time fighting in North America because there were so many trees. In Europe wars were fought on open plains, in North America they were fought in heavy woods, making cavalry difficult to use, artillery, such as canons too hard to move, and infantry was unable to line up. Furthermore there were no accurate maps of the region so troops often became lost.

Both sides to compensate for their lack of knowledge about North America hired Native American mercenaries. The French especially armed and paid for Native American help in the war.

By 1763 the “Seven Years War” between France and Britain was over. France had lost several major battles in Europe, North America, and had totally lost control of India. The British were victorious. Britain claimed Quebec for itself, and the French were no longer a threat to the 13 colonies.

The war was incredibly expensive for both sides. In the case of Great Britain the cost of shipping troops to North America, India, and mainland Europe, the cost of feeding, training, raising, and arming the army, the cost of hiring Native American mercenaries, and the cost of building up the biggest naval fleet in the world had been enormous. Britain was in debt and needed out. Britain’s King at the time was George III.

George III was a Constitutional Monarch; he had only limited power in Britain, and had difficulty raising taxes. Parliament refused George III’s call for more taxes. However over the 13 colonies George III was an absolute monarch. The 13 colonies, which were 3000 miles away from his home in England, were not allowed to participate in Parliament. That meant George III could impose any laws he liked upon them.

George III imposed a series of small taxes in the 13 colonies, however there were many, many, many small taxes. The colonists had no choice or power over their government, only George III did. In George’s mind the British army had defended the 13 colonies, it was only fair the colonists pay for the war. The colonists had different thoughts about the matter.

YOUR TASK: On a separate sheet of paper you will write ONE PARAGRAPH. In the paragraph summarize the 7 years war, and its effect on the 13 colonies. Include at least three facts from the document, notes, or lecture. if someone could do this for me real fast that would be great