Asked by nunya
Letter from George Washington to his friend William Crawford, September 21, 1767 The other matter, just now hinted at and which I proposed in my last to join you in attempting to secure some of the most valuable Lands in the King's part which I think may be accomplished after a while notwithstanding the Proclamation that restrains it at present and prohibits the Settling of them at all for I can never look upon that Proclamation in any other light (but this I say between ourselves) than as a temporary expedient to quiet the Minds of the Indians and must fall of course in a few years especially when those Indians are consenting to our Occupying the Lands. Any p erson therefore who neglects the present oppertunity o f hunting out good Lands and in some measure marking and distinguishing them for their own (in order to keep others from settling them) will never regain it, if therefore you will be at the trouble of seeking out the Lands I will take upon me the part of securing them so soon as there is a possibility of doing it and will moreover be at all t he Cost and charges of Surveying and Patenting &c. after which you s hall h ave such a reasonable proportion of the whole as we may fix upon at our first meeting as I shall f ind it absolutely necessary and convenient for the better furthering of the design to l et some few of my friends be concernd in the Scheme and who must also p artake of the advantages.
1. Where was the “valuable land” that Washington was describing and why was settlement prohibited?
2. What does this excerpt tell you about the attitudes of many American Colonists to Parliamentary policies?
use simple words
1. Where was the “valuable land” that Washington was describing and why was settlement prohibited?
2. What does this excerpt tell you about the attitudes of many American Colonists to Parliamentary policies?
use simple words
Answers
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
1) Where was the “valuable land” and why was settlement prohibited?
- Washington meant the lands west of the Appalachian Mountains (the Ohio country and other western lands the colonies wanted).
- Settlement there was banned by the British Royal Proclamation of 1763. The Crown did this to keep peace with Native American tribes, to control westward expansion, and to manage land sales. The government hoped stopping settlers would prevent expensive wars on the frontier.
2) What does this excerpt tell you about colonists’ attitudes to Parliamentary policies?
- Many colonists saw such laws as temporary obstacles, not final rules. Washington thinks the Proclamation only calms the Indians for now and will be set aside when it suits settlers.
- The passage shows colonists were eager to grab land, willing to ignore or work around British rules, and ready to profit from land speculation. It also shows distrust of Parliament’s limits on colonial expansion.
- Washington meant the lands west of the Appalachian Mountains (the Ohio country and other western lands the colonies wanted).
- Settlement there was banned by the British Royal Proclamation of 1763. The Crown did this to keep peace with Native American tribes, to control westward expansion, and to manage land sales. The government hoped stopping settlers would prevent expensive wars on the frontier.
2) What does this excerpt tell you about colonists’ attitudes to Parliamentary policies?
- Many colonists saw such laws as temporary obstacles, not final rules. Washington thinks the Proclamation only calms the Indians for now and will be set aside when it suits settlers.
- The passage shows colonists were eager to grab land, willing to ignore or work around British rules, and ready to profit from land speculation. It also shows distrust of Parliament’s limits on colonial expansion.
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