The French and Indian War paved the way for future events that no one could have ever imagined. The economic practice of mercantilism, which ensured profit only for the mother country, was the accepted practice between England and its colonies. As long as these economic policies were respected, England left much of the day-to-day management of the colonies to the colonies. It was this “salutary neglect” that ultimately led to the ideological differences between England and the colonies. England won the war, but it paid a heavy price for this victory. England was bankrupt and had no choice but to turn to its colonies to regain financial stability. Tax pressures and naval restrictions imposed by the crown and Parliament were seen by the colonists as tyrannical acts. Although the colonies were on the verge of becoming “Americanized,” they held to heart the lessons of Magna Carta, the Glorious Revolution of 1688-1689. In their eyes, “the English had rights” under the laws of the mother country. It was only when these laws were usurped by the crown that the colonies had no choice but to protest their discontent. The political authority that England exercised over the colonies after so many years of neglect led to the ideological differences that would ultimately result in the American Revolution. British citizens were heavily taxed and the French and Indian War had taxed the British heavily. They thought it was right that the colonists they had spent so much money to protect and who were taxed lightly compared to other British citizens should help pay. Please note that prior to this the British had allowed the colonists to self-tax and did not impose revenue collection...... middle of paper ...... it was a fight between three nations, and until the end of the 18th century it was not at all certain which would win. The Indians, particularly the Five Nations Iroquois, were exceptionally skilled at playing the French and English against each other to maximize their own advantages. The French and Indian War was a guerrilla war consisting of small skirmishes and surprise attacks. The terrain was unknown to both the French and the English; the involvement of Indian nations as allies in the battle made a huge difference. In fact, some historians have speculated that the turning point in the war occurred when many Indian nations changed their war policies and turned their backs on the French. Faced with the greater resources of the British and lacking the advantage of their Indian allies, the French found themselves with little hope and soon lost the continent..