Final answer:
The French and Indian War drastically shifted the colonial relationship with Britain, ending salutary neglect and imposing tighter control and taxes, which led to increased tensions and eventually contributed to the American Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The French and Indian War had a profound impact on the relationship between the American colonists and the British government, altering the dynamics within the colonies. The victorious outcome of the war led to the elimination of French presence in North America, intensifying British colonial policies as a means to recover war expenditures. The war's end marked the conclusion of the period of salutary neglect, with Great Britain expecting the colonies to contribute more financially to the empire.
Pontiac's Rebellion and the subsequent British response increased tensions as the Crown imposed new taxes to cover the debts incurred from the war. This shift in policy bred discontent as colonists believed they were entitled to settle in the western territories, an expectation contrary to the British government's new restrictive stance. The differing perspectives on taxation, representation, and territorial rights fed into the escalating conflict that would ultimately lead to the American Revolution.
The war altered both international affairs and colonial dynamics. Native American relationships changed drastically with the British, as the French, their former allies and trade partners, were defeated. This loss of the French as a buffer and trading partner for the Native Americans, paired with increased British control, ignited conflicts like Pontiac's Rebellion that further influenced the fracturing relationship between the colonies and Great Britain.