ABSTRACT
Historians sometimes refer to the early 18th century in the British American colonies as a period of “benign neglect,” when the colonies largely governed themselves without interference from England. This changed as a result of the French and Indian War, from 1754–1763, which set in motion a series of events that would lead to the American Revolution. Victory in this worldwide war saddled Great Britain with a crushing national debt, a need to defend the newly acquired territory, and obligations to the Native American tribes who had fought against the French. British regular troops arrived in American port cities in the Middle and New England colonies, and they sometimes stayed for long periods before moving out to the frontier. The pamphlet laid out arguments against the British Crown and in favor of self-governance in language easily understood by common people generally thought incapable of governing themselves.
