Final answer:
The victory in the French and Indian War weakened the relationship between England and the Thirteen Colonies. The British imposed taxes to recover war costs, ending salutary neglect, and despite the removal of the French threat, new British policies led to dissatisfaction and eventually to the American Revolutionary War.
Step-by-step explanation:
As a result of winning the French and Indian War, the relationship between England and the Thirteen Colonies became weaker. The war, which concluded with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, led to a sweeping victory for Britain and the expansion of its territory in North America. However, the triumph brought about unforeseen challenges. The British government sought to recover the costs of the war by imposing a series of taxes on the American colonists, which fuelled resentment and laid the groundwork for the American Revolutionary War.
The colonies had expected to be rewarded for their participation in the war, particularly with access to new western lands. Instead, Britain ended the policy of salutary neglect and tightened its control, restricting westward expansion with the Proclamation of 1763 and introducing revenue-generating policies such as the Stamp Act. This shift led to widespread discontent and the questioning of British authority, significantly straining the transatlantic relationship.
The war radically altered the balance of power in North America, removing the French threat to the colonies. In the absence of this external danger, colonial focus shifted to domestic issues, notably resistance to changing British policies. This was exacerbated by events like Pontiac's Rebellion, expressing Native American discontent with British post-war policies, which the colonies had to manage amidst their own growing tensions with Britain.