Money & Mayhem - Part One

Pitt's departure was bad news for North America. It had been Pitt who, in the eyes of many of his contemporaries as well as historians, saved the British Empire from defeat in the Seven Years' War. He was a tireless champion of the idealistic principles of British common law, and a true friend of the North American colonies. His departure would prove to be one of the most significant events in the journey toward England losing her American colonies.

George III then ousted the Duke of Newcastle, and made Bute First Lord of the Treastury. Bute was assailed in London's newspapers and attacked by mobs. His popularity in North America was no better, as boots (a symbol of his name) were frequently burned in effigy as tensions would mount in the coming months. Bute compounded his problems by showing little political savvy in handling the attacks. As his only means of defense, he hardened into an arrogant and unapproachable royal official, winning few friends and making even more enemies.

In 1763, with his administration in place, George III presided over a peace treaty that formally ended the Seven Years' War - a war known in the colonies as the French and Indian War. The nature of this treaty is important, because it helped accentuate Britain's economic difficulties. During the war, Britain traded heavy losses with French ground forces in North America, but had nevertheless won several important strategic victories, taking significant chunks of what had been French territory. Britain's success was even more dramatic on the high seas. The Royal Navy had thrashed both Spain and France, decimating their naval forces. By the time negotiations were underway to end the war, Britain had driven France out of most of North America and had taken control of the West Indies. And Cuba had been taken from the Spanish.

Now, William Pitt watched as most of these gains (earned in a war which he had helped his country win) were handed back to France and Spain in the Treaty of Paris. France took back most of the sugar-rich West Indies. Spain resumed control of Cuba and the Philippines. And France was permitted to compete with English fishermen on Newfoundland's Grand Banks. Despite ill health, Pitt passionately denounced the treaty, but George III's handpicked leader in the fight to ratify the treaty, the wily Henry Knox, generously distributed bribes to obtain the needed parliamentary support. In

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