THE POLICIES OF GEORGE GRENVILLE

George II died in 1660 and was succeeded by his grandson, George III. George III never exhibited even average political skills and was more than willing to give his ministers (who he rapidly replaced) a large amount of political power. In 1763 he selected George Grenville as prime minister.

Grenville faced a difficult financial task. Great Britain had great debt, largely because of the lengthy wars that had taken place both on the continent and in the colonies. British citizens were already very heavily taxed. Grenville felt that one way to relieve the financial burden facing the Crown would be for the American colonists to pay a greater share for colonial administration. Grenville was convinced that Britain should be making more money than it was in the Americas; he was personally disturbed by the illegal trading carried out by colonists during the Seven Years War.

Grenville took measures to “reform” the trading relationship between Britain and the Americas. The Currency Act of 1764 made it illegal to print paper money in the colonies. Because of the lack of hard currency in the colonies, the impact of this bill was significant. The Sugar Act of the same year conceded that the colonies were importing large amounts of French molasses, but it increased the penalties for colonial smuggling and ensured that colonists would pay the British a duty for all molasses brought into the colonies. In the years after the French and Indian War, colonial economies were already suffering from depression; the Grenville Acts only served to make that depression worse.

Debate over the reforms of Grenville appeared in many colonial newspapers, with many editorials pondering the proper relationship between decisions made in Great Britain and the American colonics.