Royal Proclamation of 1763

The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued October 7, 1763, by King George III after Great Britain gained French territory in North America after the end of the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War. The purpose of the Proclamation was to organize Britain's large North American empire, and to make relations with Native Americans better and more stable by controlling trade, settlement, and land purchases on the western frontier. Parliament also wished to gain trust from the natives so they could place forts there.

The war had brought large new western territories to the British Empire but the Proclamation stated that American colonists could not settle or buy land west of a line along the Appalachian Mountains. This angered colonists. Settlers continued to flow into the Ohio River Valley, and Great Britain was unable to provide adequate protection for them. Also, the Proclamation gave Great Britain a monopoly in land bought from Native Americans. The later Quebec Act, 1774 extended the rights of French Catholics, thus further angering English Protestant settlers.

French

• Boundaries of Québec were very limited.
• Catholics not permitted to run for office.
• Did not think the proposed assembly would represent the views of the population.
• Were concerned about the future of the Roman Catholic Church.
• Could not fur trade outside the proclaimed boundaries.

British

• Did not like the restrictions placed on fur trade.
• Colonists wanted to continue going west. Many veterans of the war against France had been given land beyond the line, and the Proclamation took it away.
• Were not satisfied by the proposal for an elected assembly.
• They did not have a say in it.

Royal Proclamation Of 1763 Media

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  The Royal Proclamation of 1763, Library and Archives Canada

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  A portion of eastern North America; the 1763 "proclamation line" is the border between the red and the pink areas.

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  The Eastern (orange line) in the southern areas, and St. Lawrence (magenta line) watershed boundaries in the northern areas of this map more-or-less defined almost all of the Royal Proclamation's western boundaries

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  New borders drawn by the Royal Proclamation of 1763

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  The Boundary Line Map of 1768 moved the boundary west

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  USA Proclamation of 1763 Silver Medal: Franklin Mint Issue 1970