Proclamation of 1763

UNIT 3: Revolution

Lesson: The Proclamation Line of 1763

Tennessee State Standard:

8.13 Explain the significance of the Proclamation Line of 1763.

the Proclamation Line

THE PROCLAMATION OF 1763

In an effort to prevent any future Indian wars, King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763. He announced that the colonists were prohibited from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains. He drew a proclamation line that set the geographical limits for the colonists. The land to the west was given to the American Indians to avoid war.

Any colonist who had already moved west of the proclamation line were supposed to move back to the original 13 colonies. The colonists were not too happy about that.

WHY ISSUE THE PROCLAMATION?

The Proclamation of 1763 had three main goals:

First, the British had hoped to make peace with the American Indians because they were already in debt from the French and Indian War and could not afford to fight another war.

Second, King George III hoped for peace between his 13 colonies and the Native American Indians so that he could start a trade relationship between the two groups. He wanted a piece of the fair trade business that France had started in that area years earlier.

And third, the British wanted to better defend and maintain the original 13 colonies by building forts along the proclamation line. These forts would be good places for trade, but they would also allow the British to better monitor and enforce there are laws in the colonies.

King George III, King of Great Britain

The Proclamation of 1763 sparked anger and resistance from American colonists who wanted to settle out on the frontier. They believed that after helping Britain defeat France they earned their right to settle there. Colonists continued to push west of the Appalachian mountains anyway, and Britain had a difficult time enforcing the proclamation line. Some of these people were already moving into the area that is now known as Tennessee.

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