Final answer:
British officers generally looked down on colonial troops, viewing them as inferior. There was a disconnect between the British and colonial perspectives on the war effort and its costs, which led to increased tensions post-war.
Step-by-step explanation:
Interactions Between Colonial Troops and British Officers
During the French and Indian War, the relationship between colonial troops and British officers was often strained. British officers generally looked down on colonial troops, seeing them as less professional and inferior to their regular troops. The British army had a harsh discipline system, meant to keep soldiers from poorer classes in line, and this influenced their view and treatment of colonial forces. Though colonial troops played a crucial role in the success of the war, they were not selected for high-ranking positions like colonels and generals; such ranks were typically held by Britons.
Colonial troops did not often turn against their British officers to become spies for the French. Instead, they sought to defend their homes and believed their participation in the war would be rewarded with the opening of western territories for settlement. After the war, the British sought to recoup war expenses from the colonies, increasing tensions and highlighting the disconnect between British expectations and colonial perceptions of their contributions to the war effort.
The British victory in the war did not ease relations but instead led to heightened tensions as colonial defense responsibilities increased. Along with this, the differing perspectives on financial contributions to the war costs further aggravated the relationship between the colonies and mother country, setting the stage for future conflicts.