An Ideology of Dependence: Cultivating the Imperial Hierarchy in British North America, 1730-1754

This dissertation will analyze various pieces of official correspondence, acts of Parliament, colonial records, and colonial newspapers from the first half of the eighteenth century in order to add to the ongoing historiographical conversation regarding the historical significance of the Seven Years War. More specifically, this dissertation will address the following questions: Was the Seven Years War actually the start of a new chapter in the imperial relationship between England and the British North American colonies? If not, when did the relationship change and more importantly, what did that mean about the condition of the British Empire in North America prior to the Seven Years War? In the end, the dissertation will argue that the implementation of imperial policies—which were the results of partisan political debates in England—created a situation where it was possible for British colonists in North America to develop a sense of shared experiences. These experiences transcended the borders and boundaries of British North American colonies and thus, served as a link between the different colonial regions.