When the French and Indian War ended in 1763, Britain gained control of a large amount of land between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. Many British colonists believed this land already belonged to them. This belief came from land grants. A land grant was a legal promise from the king or a colonial government giving someone the right to own land. Groups like the Ohio Company of Virginia were given hundreds of thousands of acres to sell or settle. Some colonists had already bought land based on these grants and expected to move west to claim it.
Colonists also believed they had earned the land by helping to fight in the war. People like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were part of companies that planned to sell land to settlers. These men were land speculators. They hoped to buy land at a low price and sell it for more later. Many colonists saw land ownership as a way to gain freedom, independence, and a better life. They believed farming their own land on the frontier would make them successful and give them a voice in society.
However, the British government saw the situation in a very different way. The war had been expensive, and Britain was deeply in debt. Government leaders were not ready to pay for new forts or soldiers to protect colonists who moved far from the coast. They also knew that many Indigenous nations still lived in the Ohio Valley and would likely resist new settlers. British officials believed it would be dangerous and costly to allow colonists to move into the new land right away.
Some British leaders believed land in the west should be used slowly and carefully. Officials like the Earl of Hillsborough believed large land companies were growing too powerful. They thought giving out huge amounts of land too quickly would lead to problems and conflict. Instead of letting settlers rush west, the British wanted to keep tight control over how the land was used and who was allowed to live there.
Some colonial land companies moved forward with plans even without British approval. In 1763, surveyors and traders linked to the Ohio Company returned to western lands, creating maps and setting up trading routes. Others, like the Indiana Company, pushed for titles to land that had already been promised to Indigenous groups. These actions challenged British control and signaled that many colonists would not wait for official permission. They saw the land as part of their future and were determined to use it.
Meanwhile, British officials were overwhelmed by competing claims. Different colonial governments, private companies, and powerful individuals were all seeking rights to the same territory. Without a clear plan, Britain faced the risk of disorder and renewed conflict. Leaders believed that slowing down expansion was the only way to manage the situation and protect both settlers and British goals.