It is the year 1760.  For one hundred fifty years, the British colonies in North America have been growing and prospering.  Immigrants have begun flooding into the New World, and the population has swelled from 250,000 in 1700 to 2 million by 1760. Yet there are dark clouds on the horizon.  Friction with French colonists and Native Americans has brought the colonies to the brink of war.  The events over the next twenty years will not only alter the destiny of the colonies, but of the entire Western world. 

     You are a journalist sent by King George III to chronicle events in the colonies over the next fifteen years.  You will be examining the roots of the conflict and the major events leading to war.  To do this, you will live among the colonists and explore their way of life.  Your purpose is to reflect on how policies enacted by Parliament affect everyday colonists and to gauge their reactions.  You are to report on the major players who brought about critical events that enflamed the passions of the colonists and led to a break with England.  Remember, throughout your WebQuest your focus should be: Why did the colonies want to break away from England?