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A Proclamation, 1763 (litho)
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A Proclamation, 1763 (litho)
696002 A Proclamation, 1763 (litho) by British School, (18th Century); 60.9x48.2 cm; Gilder Lehrman Collection, New York, USA; (add.info.: The proclamation establishes colonial rule over former French and Spanish possessions in Canada, Florida, Grenada and other areas; it offers tolerance to Roman Catholics; it calls for governments and assemblies like those in existing colonies and recognizes the rights and land ownership of Indian tribes. One of nine known surviving copies. References: Clarence Brigham, British royal proclamations relating to America, 1603-1783; Clements Sale 1996 lot 223. Nine copies are known to survive. In 1773, Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) published a brief history of the British governments actions during the preceding decade. Its title: Rules by Which a Great Empire May be Reduced to a Small One. Beginning in 1763, successive British ministries made a series of political missteps that gradually stirred the colonists to assert American liberties against British oppression. Before 1763, the colonists largely accepted Parliaments right to take actions on their behalf--and even the primacy of Englands economic interests over their own. Prior to the Seven Years War, however, almost all parliamentary actions had been designed to regulate trade, and while the colonies sometimes regarded these acts as unfair or inexpedient, they did not regard them as especially oppressive or burdensome. After 1763, however, Parliaments actions appeared to clash with the colonists interests. At the end of the Seven Years War, France surrendered Canada and much of the Ohio and Mississippi valley--two-thirds of eastern North America--to British rule. Many colonists regarded these new lands as a godsend. But the Proclamation of 1763 reserved lands west of the Appalachian mountains for Indians and forbade white settlement there. Equally disturbing, new British politics restricted Indian trade to traders licensed by the British government. For the first time, power over westward expansion was placed in the hands of British officials, outside the colonists control. By preventing the colonial population from moving inland, the British ministry hoped to avoid costly Indian wars, protect the western fur trade, and keep western land speculation under the control of the crown. To enforce the proclamation, the British cabinet decided to station up to 10, 000 troops along the frontier, at a cost of 250, 000 pounds sterling annually. The colonists, who wanted to expand westward without the interference of British troops, deeply resented the proclamation. They feared that if they were walled in along the eastern coast, the results would be overpopulation, the growth of crowded cities, and social stratification along rigid class lines.
George III (1738-1820), King of Great Britain.); eGilder Lehrman Institute of American History; British, out of copyright
Media ID 23544502
© Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History / Bridgeman Images
American History Broadside Colonies Colony Historical Document Proclamation Revolutionary War Sheet The War Of Independence Colonial Period
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This lithograph, titled "A Proclamation, 1763" offers a glimpse into the historical significance of British colonial rule in North America. Measuring at 60.9x48.2 cm, this print is part of the esteemed Gilder Lehrman Collection in New York. The proclamation depicted here marks a pivotal moment in history as it establishes British control over former French and Spanish territories such as Canada, Florida, and Grenada. Notably, it extends tolerance to Roman Catholics and recognizes the rights and land ownership of indigenous tribes. Only nine surviving copies of this proclamation are known to exist today, making this litho an invaluable piece of historical documentation. Its importance is further emphasized by references to Clarence Brigham's comprehensive work on British royal proclamations relating to America. The year 1763 marked a turning point for American colonists' perception of British authority. Prior to this period, they had largely accepted Parliament's actions on their behalf without significant resistance. However, after France ceded vast territories to Britain following the Seven Years War, tensions arose due to restrictions placed on westward expansion and trade with Native Americans. The colonists deeply resented these limitations imposed by the Crown as they sought opportunities for growth beyond the eastern coastlines. The fear of overpopulation and social stratification fueled their dissatisfaction with King George III's policies. Through its rich historical context captured within this lithograph print, we gain insight into the complex dynamics that shaped early American history and set the stage for future conflicts between colonists and their imperial rulers.
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